AMANDA Anthony would be spending Christmas in comfort and style now that she has been blessed with a new home through the kind compliments of the Scotiabank ‘Habitat Build a Home Promotion’.Scotia Bank is said to have contributed approximately Gy$1.8 million towards building Anthony’s single-bedroom, ‘disability-friendly model home’ at Hope Lowlands, East Coast of Demerara.

Anthony, a widow and mother of two, recalls living several places — the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, Kamuni Creek, Land of Canaan and Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast of Demerara; and even in neighbouring Suriname. About one year ago, she acquired her house lot from the Ministry of Housing.

Although she reportedly failed to secure assistance from the Lion’s Club and Food for the Poor entities, she was advised to approach the Habitat for Humanity, where she spoke with National Director Rawle Small.

Now 52 years old, the widow was born without legs, and was almost reduced to tears when she reflected on the difficulties she had faced in life as a result of her disability.

Anthony cooks, cleans and moves about briskly, but says she has often been denied employment, even as a domestic, because of her disability. Accustomed to working on a farm on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, the proud Anthony hopes to have her yard fenced, so she can plant vegetables and rear chickens.

Habitat for Humanity’s local staff members see Anthony as inspiration because of her vision of receiving support to emerge from the “really harsh conditions” in the one-room apartment she had been occupying.

Other criteria used to determine Anthony’s eligibility to receive help included her number of dependents, employment status, health status and age.

Scotiabank (Guyana) is taking a small percentage from several types of loans to finance the project. The Scotiabank/ Habitat Build a Home project has been extended for three years.

ANSA Mc AL, the Braam family, Office of the President, Guyana Relief Council, Courts and other entities also assisted in making the house comfortable for Amanda Anthony and her son.