THE Come Alive Network Incorporated (CANI) last Saturday completed their annual “Come Alive” Shoe Drive, providing 80 pairs of shoes to less fortunate children in Charity and Berbice. In each of the communities visited, the volunteers gave each child deemed “needy” a new pair of shoes to equip them for the new school term and year.
Notably, in Charity some 50 children between the ages of 3-15 were recipients of new pairs of shoes, while in New Amsterdam another 30 children were also able to receive a new pair of shoes each. The children in New Amsterdam also benefitted from lunch packs donated by Singers.
The team of Youth Volunteers also engaged the children in fun activities and held discussions to enlighten the children about the importance of education.
The Executive Director of CANI, Ryan Hoppie, noted that they have “a network within the community” which encompasses the community leaders and social protection officers within the area. This network is able to identify the needy children and disseminate their genders and sizes, so the CANI team was able to source the shoes for the children.
A team from the organization usually goes out to the targeted areas and presents each child with a pair of shoes. This is the third year CANI conducted the shoe drive in Charity, while they were in Berbice for the first time.
Over the past few weeks, the youth organization had reached out to the public and requested donations of Black School Shoes or donations of $2360 GYD (or $12 USD) to purchase a pair of shoes. While there was some degree of public response, the Shoe Drive was also supported by Footsteps and Singers.
In previous years, CANI was able to donate some 700 new pairs of school shoes along with stationery to less fortunate children in various communities across Guyana.
The youth organization also held a ‘self-worth’ Creative Response workshop while in Berbice on, in observance of World Suicide Prevention Day. The workshop, which was held at the Berbice Chamber of Commerce in New Amsterdam, targeted persons aged 15-30.