THE EU Ambassador to Guyana, Mr Robert Kopecký, and Programme Director of ChildLink, Ms. Omattie Madray, yesterday signed a grant contract to implement a project titled “Empowering Children in Difficult Circumstances”.The grant involves support to a maximum of €200,000, and will be funded from the country allocation of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) 2012-2013 for Guyana.
The overall objective of the actions by ChildLink is to strengthen policies, practices and approaches to ensure social welfare services to prevent and protect twelve thousand six hundred and fifty (12,650) children from

sexual violence by December 2015. Further, the activities foresee under the grant supplement work already done by ChildLink under two (2) previous grants totalling €180,000, which were funded from previous EIDHR ‘calls for proposals’ put out by the EU Delegation in Guyana.
Ambassador Kopecký highlighted that “Human Rights are one of the core values of the European Union and its member states going like a silver thread though its many, if not all, activities”.
“The European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights provides the possibility to support civil society projects in this area also in Guyana,” he said. “The rights of vulnerable groups, especially children, are particularly important in this regard; and the Childlink proposal convinced us. We look forward to a successful implementation that we perceive to be fully complementing the Government of Guyana’s priorities, activities and intervention in this area.”
Ms. Madray explained that the project seeks to protect children, specifically those at risk of sexual violence, through the Tell Campaign; and children who have been sexually violated through comprehensive services in three Child Advocacy Centres.
“This initiative has been developed in partnership with the Childcare and Protection Agency of the Ministry of Human Services, Forward Guyana and ChildLink Inc., and is being funded by the European Union, UNICEF, and other local donors. The European Union grant will, over the next two years, staff and equip the centres; build the capacity of the staff; and increase advocacy to stop the abuse of children.”
ChildLinK Inc, a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), was established in 2009, and its mandate is to work with its partners towards a Guyanese society wherein every child has the right to grow up in a safe and secure family and community.