THE ‘Faith Harding Quick Impact Programme’(QIP) visited the community of Albion, Corentyne, Berbice, on Sunday, through the St. Mary’s Anglican Church there.
The purpose was for the inauguration of its first ‘Children’s Vegetable Garden’, by Dr. Faith Harding and a team of volunteers. In her address to the gathering, she said her goal is to see young people and women get involved in economically viable activities that are aimed at improving their ability to earn.
The former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) executive member explained that there are many cries, by many persons around the country, that they have difficulties earning.
But she said that need not be the case, as there are untouched lands and avenues to earn in communities where those dwelling there fail to recognise.
Harding said many of these communities require guidance in identifying those resources and putting them to the right economic use.
On Sunday, 40 children and a similar number of adults, mostly women, received hampers with food supplies, school stationery, rain gear and gardening tools from Harding, who said all she wished from the recipients, in return, is the dedication to the project that will see them, ultimately, becoming the beneficiaries.
Pointing out that it was the launching of the first Children’s Vegetable Garden by her group, she said it will determine the birth of more such projects in other regions and communities countrywide.
She said if Albion should prove that it can be properly managed and be of benefit to the residents, then others will be established in areas being looked at already.

MAINLY POOR
Harding started working with persons in mainly poor families on several initiatives to ensure young people become economically viable and the Sunday mission was another one of those exercises.
The Faith Harding Quick Impact Programme (QIP) has, since June 2011, been able to provide assistance to those who face challenges and unfortunate barriers of almost every kind. They have been able to access services from the group in the areas of health, education life skills, HIV/AIDS counselling, job placement, distribution of food items and clothes, she reported.
Up to now, the activities have been conducted at Corriverton, also at Corentyne, Berbice;  Long Creek and Dora, along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway; Sophia, Greater Georgetown and Good Intent, West Bank Demerara.
Harding said she hopes to begin developing agro-based and agro processing projects in a few communities, soon.  Meanwhile, though, business plans have been made for a sorrel production programme at Long Creek; a machine shop, chicken farm and fish farm at Corriverton and the empowerment of teenagers and women to reduce gender-based violence in Sophia.
She said, in promoting QIP, the facts are clear that agriculture is one of the most resourceful ventures for the economic viability of small communities and it can produce wealth as it increases national production and exports.
Harding is looking to encourage large scale farming to meet international markets and is also promoting the idea of young children being actively involved in the production of food by way of creating children’s vegetable gardens in communities.
Meanwhile, Romel Ayasammy has been coordinating the activities in the Albion area and acts as the local authority for the Faith Harding QIP.
He said the community has been longing for such activities to which it is now exposed and his main interest, presently, is ensuring that he grooms one of the younger ones in the midst to be able to represent their interest in his absence.
Avasammy, 25, said all resources and services that are channelled to the Albion community, irrespective of the donors, will see women and children being the first to benefit.
He has also been working with the St. Francis Community Developers, which is doing a lot in several communities of Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) under the leadership of Food For The Poor Representative Alex Foster.