Courts Guyana Inc. yesterday presented a $525,000 cheque to the University of Guyana for its ‘Reading is Fun’ literacy programme.
At the presentation at Courts Main Street branch, Public Relations Officer Zeya Nasir explained that this is the third year Courts has been sponsoring the UG programme.
“Courts is pleased to be the official sponsor of this initiative which caters for over 100 underprivileged students from Sophia, ages 9-12,” she said.
Nasir commended UG for doing such a good job with the children, in seeking to encourage the love of reading and in teaching them values at such an early age.
She stated, “We are pleased to be associated with this cause; we see much value in it, and this is how we bring our value home.”
Accepting the donation on behalf of U.G, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Dr. Marlene Cox, expressed her gratitude for the full sponsorship.
Dr. Cox recalled that the initiative first started in 2003, during the vacation period, in recognition of the literacy problem that exists.
“We chose young children to get them into feeling that reading is fun…every vacation since then, we host the three-week programme which Courts has been sponsoring since 2009,” she stated.
The sessions are held at the UG Turkeyen campus, and Dr. Cox explained that they are aimed at encouraging the kids to take their education seriously. This year’s programme is scheduled to be launched next Tuesday.
She stated, “These children are our future, and so we bring them into the learning environment to instill in them the confidence that they too could attend the University one day.”
Alluding to the generous donation, Dr Cox emphasised that the university is pleased with the collaboration with Courts, a true demonstration of the furniture giant’s corporate responsibility.