Volunteerism and other stories of Yakusari Village

MOHAMED Wazid Rafeek is a resident of Yakusari Village, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice. He describes community work as giving back to society through volunteerism and feeding programmes.

He is the Treasurer at the Yakusari Masjid and is one of the pioneers of many community projects to assist the poor and needy through benevolent gestures through the masjid and other Muslim organisations.

Rafeek told the Pepperpot Magazine that the way of life of the people of Yakusari Village is very simple and they are grassroots folk who utilise the lands to earn by way of farming. In that village, he reported that the needs of the people are numerous and among them are some genuinely needy people, who need immediate food items.

The religious leader stated that the community is large and runs deep into the polder and due to the condition of the main access road, getting around is an issue. He disclosed that in Berbice they have three orphanages located at New Amsterdam, Albion and Port Mourant; and they would host feeding programmes where foods are prepared and placed in food boxes and taken to the orphanages to be distributed.

Rafeek explained that they help both Muslims and non-Muslims and they do not discriminate and whenever they have clothing and footwear through the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) and other persons from the Muslim community, they would hand out to the people, who need it the most.

He reported that during the 2005 flood they ensured that every household benefitted from a food hamper and it is activities like these they participate in to ensure that everyone in the village gets something.

Rafeek added that the village masjid has services, but only to a limited number of worshippers. As a result of COVID-19, there are no large gatherings for prayers and they have all safety protocols in place such as hand-washing, wearing of face masks and social distancing.

He disclosed that to celebrate Ramadan they will be preparing food to distribute to relatives, members of the Muslim community and the village. No gathering at the masjid will be held and just a few members will be preparing the food and other goodies.

Mud woes and farming
Meanwhile, the Pepperpot Magazine met Huno Jailall, a cash crop farmer, who reported that he is a resident of the last street in Yakusari Village and due to the muddy condition of the village, his six children have been unable to attend school.

He added that the condition of the place coupled with the cost attached, he is unable to send all the children to school and his only source of income is to plant and sell his produce, which is insufficient to cover household expenses.

Some of the houses in the village.

The 47-year-old pointed out that if it rains continuously for two to three hours the place would be flooded and his crops would perish. The father of six explained that when his crops are under floodwaters, he has no other alternative but to go work with other people as a labourer to bring in an income to the home.

Village concerns
The team also met 60-year-old Savitri Jasoda, who is also a farmer and is utilising the lands behind her house to plant cash crops. But in her street, there are some large trees which have overshadowed the place and she would like those trees to be cut.

As a senior citizen, Jasoda told the Pepperpot Magazine that she is unable to get around the village much and whenever she has to get needed supplies, she would venture out bare-footed because she is afraid she may fall.

On another note, some villagers, who are working with the Water Users Association, reported that they haven’t been paid since 2017 for the maintenance of canals, drains and trenches in the community.

More than 40 contractors are affected and they would charge $300 per rod to clean the drainage system in the village. The new project started this year, February.