THE Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany last Friday handed over a grant of US $28,762 to the St. Francis Community Developers to fund the rehabilitation and upgrading of a guest house. The guest house will complement the Caribbean Grassroot Training Complex, which is currently under construction and is being funded by the Japanese government. According to Alex Foster, President of the Organisation, the training complex should be completed and commissioned sometime in August, 2012.
Foster explained that the guest house will accommodate teachers and students travelling from all across Guyana, the Caribbean and the rest of the world to utilize the training facility.
“This community developmental village that the German government is supporting today, will professionalize community development at the grassroot level, not only in Region Six, not only in Guyana, but across the Caribbean and further afield in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Youth Programme and its secretariat,” said Foster at the handing over ceremony.
The organisation has already secured a building for the guest house and the funds received from the German government will be used to repair and upgrade this building. Foster advised that the upper flat of the building will house five fully furnished self -contained rooms for tutors, while the bottom flat of the building will contain a total of 60 double bunk beds for students. Furnishing of the building will be made possible by funding through Food for the Poor Guyana Incorporated.
The cheque was presented to Foster by German Ambassador, Stefan Schlueter. Also present, was the Honorary German Consul to Guyana, Ben J.H Ter Welle.  The Consul advised that the German Government, through its grant scheme, has been sponsoring such projects all over the Caribbean for more than 10 years. He also said that this is just another step and that the German government will continue to offer support for similar projects as long as Germany has sufficient resources.
This initiative is part of the St. Francis Community Developers’ Project RESCUE – Reforming Education Skills and Capacity for Ultimate Empowerment. Besides Germany and Japan, the government of Australia has also contributed to the development of a tilapia farm and a fruit farm.