…The New Jersey Arya Samaj aims higher
THE Humanitarian Mission of the New Jersey Arya Samaj International Chapter will on Saturday next turn the sod for its multi-million Humanitarian village at Port Mourant, Corentyne Berbice. The sod turning comes almost two months after the organization was granted a plot of land by President Donald Ramotar. The organization had written former President Bharrat Jagdeo for a plot of land for the construction of the facility and the approval was granted.
The works of the New Jersey chapter is being aided locally by the Guyana Central Arya Samaj. The facility will be built at 21-26 Anchor Ville, Port Mourant.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, President of the New Jersey Chapter, Pandit Suresh Sugrim, explained that the idea for the village was birthed at a board meeting in 2010.
He said that the main aim is to ensure that the work of the non-governmental organization gets itself involved in activities and projects which are more long-lasting and self-sustaining.
The Humanitarian Village will see several buildings being built to provide a variety of services. Pandit Sugrim said that the village will cater for everyone, regardless of religious persuasion and ethnicity.
The village will cater for the elderly, homeless, physically challenged and abused victims of fire and other situations that cause persons to be away from their homes. It is the view of the Arya Samaj to work very closely with the Government of Guyana and any other organization irrespective of their religious and ethnic standing, according to Sugrim.
Pandit Sugrim disclosed that the Arya Samaj chose to take the village to Port Mourant because, according to him, there is no facility that provides a save haven for affected families in that area. He said that with the exception of a few children’s homes in Region 6, there is no facility that allows refuge in emergencies. He added that while these are available in the country, they seem to be concentrated in Georgetown. Despite the location of the village the organization’s president made it clear that while Region 6 will be a priority, its services will be available for all Guyanese wherever necessary.
There are also plans to construct an empowerment and skills training facility for the village.
Pandit Sugrim told the Chronicle that all construction will be done with consideration for the differently abled. There is expected to be much more work on site after the initial works are completed, as the land is leased to the organization for 50 years.
Much work is also expected to be done in the area of family life and counselling. The Pandit explained that there will be much concentration on ensuring that broken families are mended. He added that they will be placing much emphasis on addressing the issues that cause families to be divided.
Support for the work of the Arya Samaj comes from concerned and generous persons of the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, London and Guyana.
Many of the donors are of the view that whatever they do for charity is better appreciated by the Creator, and as such, some prefer to work with the organization behind the scenes, not caring about publicity.

The same can also be said for the hundreds who give of their time and energies to the organization voluntarily.
The Arya Samaj has long believed that there is very little that can be done without everyone on board, and there is a plan to address this.
Pandit Sugrim said that the organization will be setting up a board of governors, advisers and an executive to deal with the many issues that may need interventions in the future.
Of utmost importance will be the board. The board that will oversee the operations of the Humanitarian Village will be made up of persons from various non-governmental organizations and religious leaders from all faiths.
Since its formation in 2005, the Arya Samaj has been working with various faith-based organizations, carrying out its mandate to the poor and those in need, without any reference or discrimination because of their political, religious, or ethnic persuasions.
According to Sugrim, the Samaj speaks one message, and that is Humanity. Among the various activities and interest of the organization is housing, working with single parents, empowering women, medical outreaches, educational needs of poor children, and giving a hearing to those who have difficulty being heard by the masses.
With the millions spent in the past, mainly through handouts, the Arya Samaj sees it fit to engage in operations that will be more long lasting and leaves an everlasting impression on the lives of those who benefit.
This, the organization believes, will go a long way in teaching those who have benefited to earn for themselves and not to depend on persons for the rest of their lives.