THE Associated Industries Limited (Ainlim) of the Neal and Massay Group of Companies has donated Gy$300,000 to the Guyana Society for the Blind to offset expenses incurred by the latter’s literacy programmes for the blind. Speaking with the media yesterday, president of the Guyana Society for the Blind, Cecil Morris, said the programme aims to assist blind persons to improve their skills when using the English Language.
“It’s a literacy programme, and what it does is equip the persons that are blind, making them more effective in using the English Language effectively, and to spell and do things like presenting a letter, making a speech, and so on,” Morris explained.
The programme was started about five weeks ago, and Morris is appealing to business places to come on board with the initiative, so that the programme could be a continuous one.
“We would really love it to be continuous, and more people are going to get laptops, so I guess more persons are going to come on board. We are looking for persons out there (who) might want to help us. They can get in touch with us.”
Morris said the “Blind Society” would welcome any assistance in this regard, and would welcome any donation or form of assistance.
Vinod Ramnarine, representative of the Neal and Massay Group, said his company deems the initiative a very wise one. “We think that this is a very wise initiative. As such, our donations we see as something whereby persons from the ‘Blind Society’ can learn and be given a second chance at the English Language,” he said.
According to Mr. Morris, the ‘Blind Society’ attempts to rehabilitate persons who are suffering from blindness. “We cater for persons who are blind and visually impaired. What we try to do at the centre is rehabilitate persons who (have) lost their sight. What we try to do is get them comfortable (in) moving around in their surroundings, and helping to make them more self-sufficient.”
Morris said the society is in every way grateful for the donation, and he commended the Neal and Massy Group for granting their request in a timely manner.
“We are very grateful for this donation. When we thought about this programme, the first thing that came to mind was finance, and I said to the guys we should write to Neal and Massy, and within a week they responded. I want to thank them for their timely response.”