TEIONNET Association hosts three parties

TEIONNET Association is a Humanitarian Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Holland and is currently in Guyana, celebrating its 25th Anniversary while responding to the humanitarian needs of the people of this country.

Founder of the organisation, Guyanese born Lynette Scotland, is part of this mission and is accompanied by a Dutch colleague, Veronique Agallo who enthusiastically serves as a fillip to the Teionnet Association.The trip was made with the intention to host three parties to honour senior citizens, pregnant women and children during which the special guests will receive generous donations and other treats.

The first was for senior citizens and was held at Scotland’s home in Meadowbrook Gardens, Georgetown. That event attracted more than 150 seniors drawn from various associations in Georgetown.

It was an afternoon of much excitement. There was much to eat and drink and seniors found pleasure interacting and making new and past found friends.  What was discovered was that there was a virtual gold mine of hidden or latent skills and talents from which society can still benefit, since a lot of the seniors are still able-bodied and willing to serve.

The second party was hosted for pregnant women and was held on August 11. That event attracted  about 60 expectant mothers for whom it was an afternoon of ‘unwinding’ as the mothers were treated to a relaxed afternoon which also allowed  for the sharing of health tips.

The third party targeted some 80 children and was held last Monday at the YWCA Brickdam. The children were treated to lots of fun, music, dancing and goodies in galore.  Both indoor and outdoor games were available to the children to partake to their heart’s desire.

TEIONETT Association was launched in Guyana in August 1992.       Lynette recalls  her mother was a “caring and sharing” individual who was constantly giving “out of pocket” to the poor and needy, and so, walking in her footsteps, she began doing the same thing.      Initially Scotland, while yet in her twenties, reached out to the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre in an aim to conduct activities with about 60 differently abled children there, but, she said that at that time, she lacked adequate resources to do the things she really wanted to do to help the children.

“All I knew was that I wanted them to know that there was somebody else out there who cared, and all I could have afforded was a slice of cake and some sweets and a drink, which I took to the Centre and distributed to them.  I could have seen the joy in their eyes; the smiles on their faces, and there I knew that I had touched them in some form, and I was glad,” Lynette told the Pepperpot Magazine.

Later, her attention was drawn to children in the streets, which, thanks to the Ministry of Social Protection has become practically “a thing of the past”. In those days, hungry and homeless little children would take fast food places by storm, longingly looking at customers who entered the facilities to purchase food and snacks, sometimes begging them to buy them something to eat or drink.

Scotland said that she later began focusing on women who are abused by men and/or pregnant and abandoned by the fathers.

But the biggest outreach has been working with senior citizens in Guyana and each year she gives them a party during her visit. This time around, the group was delighted to have in their midst Guyana’s legendary “Johnny Braff , known for his song “It burns Inside”, and for him too, it must have been touching to sit and listen to his songs created way back when.

But he certainly found new energy when the gathering began soulfully joining in singing his top tunes and calling for more.Scotland also gratefully acknowledged support given her group from two major business concerns in Holland as well as Mr. George Humphrey and Family Bakery in Georgetown and others who have supported the cause.