MORE than 500 children on the island of Wakenaam are beaming with joy after First Lady, Arya Ali partnered with the Give Another Chance Foundation on Saturday to distribute toys to them and light up a 12-foot Christmas tree.

The visit on Saturday marked Mrs Ali’s second appearance on the island since becoming First Lady. She had visited earlier in the year to distribute hampers to approximately 100 senior citizens. But on Saturday, it was about the children for Mrs Ali, a release from the Office of the First Lady said.

“The Christmas season brings a kind of joy that we cannot adequately describe and since this has been a difficult year for most of us, including our children, it was important for me to bring hope and joy to them,” the First Lady shared.

The short programme began with Mrs Ali and a group of children decorating the Christmas tree with ‘One Guyana’ ornaments. The tree was erected in the Arthurville Primary School compound and was partially decorated by the Foundation and residents of the island before Mrs Ali’s arrival.

After completion of the decoration, Mrs Ali joined the executive members of the Foundation and distributed beautifully wrapped presents to the 500 children who were accompanied by their parents and guardians. It was a moment of joy for many of them who not only saw the First Lady for the first time, but received their giftts for the holidays.

“As a child, you always look forward to a present at Christmas time. I know this from experience and so we wanted to be able to fulfil that wish for many of these children. Today, we were able to do that, thanks to the Give Another Chance Foundation,” she added.

The Office of the First Lady also donated a quantity of exercise books which were distributed to the children in attendance, the release noted. The Foundation’s founder, Miranda Thakur-Deen also expressed how much of a pleasure it was being able to give back to the island where she was born.

“This is our seventh annual Christmas tree lighting and present distribution on the island and this year was made even more special with the presence of the First Lady. Mrs Ali, who has a baby son, understands how important it is to ensure our children are happy and that we fulfil our obligations to them. So it was indeed a privilege to have her here spending time and spreading joy among the children of Wakenaam,” Thakur-Deen said.