– compliments of St. Francis Community Developers and Food For The Poor

St. Francis Community Developers, through Food For The Poor Guyana Inc (FFTP) on Tuesday handed over homes to 10 families and approved contracts for the construction of six new houses for six families in East Berbice, Corentyne.

Construction of the new homes began on Wednesday.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony at the headquarters of St.Francis–Portuguese Quarters–FFTP Senior Project Manager, Andrea Benjamin said the housing programme brings comfort and security to poor families.

She noted that 16 families, 34 adults and 91 children will have access to adequate housing and pointed out that in 2017, of the 100 houses built by FFTP, more than 30 were built in Region Six.

The wooden houses are outfitted with two bedrooms, 20 by 15 spacing, coupled with internal sanitation facilities and a water component.

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) representative, Reuben Robertson praised the work of FFTP in helping the poor to own their own home.

“Poverty is not a crime. It is sometimes caused by circumstances outside of our control and when that happens it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure persons have access to housing and food. They are fundamental human rights and so I think it’s fitting to us to recognise the work FFTP is doing to ensure that human beings who are our colleagues, who are our own, live a life of dignity by having their own home.”

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Mikoko Tanaka, who was on her inaugural visit to the region and St.Francis Community Developers, said community development is the foundation for a better society.

Tanaka, during her visit, made stops to several notable places in the region, including the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital, the New Amsterdam Prison, GuySuCo Apprenticeship College, the Felix Austin Police College and several partnering agencies that fall under the umbrella of St.Francis.

Each recipient has a different story and each family is well-deserving of their new home, Alex Foster, philanthropist and president of St.Francis, said.

Among the families who received keys to their new homes was Abigail Archibald, mother of the late Leonard Archibald who was sodomised and murdered on September 17, 2017, on the East Bank of Berbice (EBB).

The Archibald family moved into their new home and into a new community at Chesney Village, Corentyne, during the Christmas Holidays.

Another beneficiary Caroline Ramsay of Light Town Village, EBB, offers temporary foster care for children and Satie Ramotar of Kilcoy Settlement, a single mother of seven, who also supports her daughter, along with three grandchildren.

The recipients expressed profound appreciation to all, especially FFTP and St. Francis for allowing them the opportunity to lead a comfortable life in a new home.

Regional Chairman David Armogan said the region is prepared to work with St.Francis to bring help to the people of the region.

“As you know, at this time, we facing a grave crisis when it comes to employment in our region. Two major sugar producing estates have now been closed which means that over 3000 workers are now on the breadline, so every activity that can contribute to the creation of employment in the region, we are prepared to work with any agency and any organisation to bring economic development in our region to ensure we can be able to take care of those 3000 workers who are now looking for employment,” Armogan said.

Foster told the gathering that the FFTP is working to enhance the housing programme and he has been able to identify a land for the construction of a village of homes in Berbice.

He also noted that several stakeholders have committed their resources to assist in the initial phase of construction.