CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shaheed Girls’ and Boys’ Orphanage, Raheema Rahaman, has attributed the fruition of a new building for the Shaheed Girls’ Orphanage to the selflessness of individuals who put aside race and religion to help.
On October 20, 2018, the Shaheed Girls’ Orphanage in Oleander Gardens, East Coast Demerara, was gutted (by fire) leaving 18 orphans, between the ages of 4 and16, homeless.

Recounting the dreadful day, Rahaman remembers receiving, from a caregiver, a phone which she couldn’t, at first, come to grips with.

“I actually thought she was joking,” Rahaman said. “But she said ‘no, no’ and then I heard her tears; I felt it and I rushed down.”

When Rahaman got to the scene, she was so intent on ensuring that the girls were safe that she rushed past firefighters to the back of the field near the building where the girls and their caregivers were safely huddled together.

The immediate moments after would see Rahaman transporting the girls to the Boys Orphanage in Kitty, Georgetown, which she quickly transformed into separate housing for the two genders.

“When I got there the little girls said ‘Aunty Dolly, my toys burnt up; my books, my school clothes are damaged’ and all I could do is say ‘okay, it’s only toys. Aunty will get better things for y’all’,” she recounted.

She would often speak with the girls one-on-one to ensure that they were coping well; would expose them to counselling and took them to the creek to distract them from the looming disappointment.

Eventually, organisations like the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG) and other well-wishers began donating clothing and other items the girls would need to adjust.
Fast forward to when construction began on the new home, Rahaman said that the girls were eager and excited throughout the journey and are happy to have, once again, all the things they lost in the fire.

On Sunday, Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally; Member of Parliament (MP) Anil Nandlall and Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine attended the launching of the new building.
Speaking to the newspaper, the CEO noted that getting to the present state was not as easy as one would have hoped.

It took some two weeks for those who assisted, such as the Puran Brothers Inc., to remove the burnt debris and, after the first few days following the fire, the orphanage received sand, cement, steel and stones from M.Y Khan, a hardware store.

Assistance also poured in through Rahaman’s immediate family members, friends and even strangers from across North America, Europe and Guyana.

“Monies [came] from people throughout this country— poor people—there were Hindus, Africans, atheists, Muslims, all sort of people came there and brought $5,000 or $10,000… [soon] little bit added up and we started building,” Rahaman said.

One of the most challenging moments she recounted was when she sought to purchase wood for the construction, but no sawmill, amongst a list of options, would agree to the transaction.

“I had $500,000 but for some reason everybody that I went to, they just told me ‘no’ or ‘sorry we don’t have that size’ or something else…on my way back, I started to cry. I was frustrated and really wanted to know what was happening,” she said.
She thanks Attorney-at-Law Juman-Yassin for the encouragement he gave to her during that time.

Still, trusting in Allah, Rahaman contacted her former son-in-law, MP Nandlall, who shortly after provided wood; tiles; blocks and more.

There are still items such as utensils, computers, a television and furniture that are needed at the orphanage that the CEO trusts will come in due time.
Meanwhile, looking to the future, she is already planning to advance even further than before by building a workshop for skills training for the children and a mini-clinic for around-the-clock medical care.

Rahaman has been managing the Shaheed Girls’ and Boys’ Orphanage since 2003.
At the launching on Sunday, Minister Ally presented Nandlall with a certificate of appreciation, thanking him for his work towards rebuilding the Shaheed Girls’ Orphanage.
They both pledged to continue their assistance towards its development.