— say parents, as distribution of $100,000 cash grant for children living with disabilities commences

THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, on Monday, officially commenced distribution of the $100,000 cash grant for children living with disabilities in Region Four, at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, on Carmichael Street, Georgetown.

Over 5,000 children are expected to benefit from the cash grant, which will be distributed in all regions across the country. Following commencement on Monday, distribution will continue in Region Four at various locations, until August 23.

On the East Coast distribution will be held at the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute in Cove and John from August 18 August 19, while on the East Bank Demerara distribution will be on August 22 at the Diamond Masjid and on August 23 at the Soesdyke Vishnu Mandir. Distribution will commence at 09:00hrs each day.

Throughout this month, distribution will also take place at locations in Regions Five, Six, Seven and Eight, according to a distribution schedule released by the ministry on its official Facebook page. The distribution schedule for the other regions is expected to be released subsequently.

As distribution commenced on Monday, Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, was present at the Ptolemy Reid Centre, ensuring a smooth flow of the process, while she also took time to interact with the parents and offer them encouraging words.

“I am so happy to see this distribution start because I understand the relief that it will bring to those parents and guardians who have children living with disabilities.  It will really, really help them out. This $100,000 explains the serious commitment that we as a government have when it comes to persons living with disabilities,” Minister Persaud commented.

The minister reminded that the cash grant adds to a number of ongoing and even future initiatives that the Government is putting in place to make life easier for persons living with disability and those around them.
According to the minister, several layers of verification and levels of transparency went into the process of distribution of the cash grants. The ministry had opened registration for eligible persons in June. Children under the age of 18 were required to register with the National Commission on Disability (NCD) in order to receive the grant.

Dozens of parents, many of them single parents, turned out at the Ptolemy Reid Centre on Monday to uplift their grants. Dellorn Adams, a single mother was the first person to receive the grant. She had the honour of receiving her envelope directly from Minister Persaud.

GREAT HELP
Dellorn explained that the cash grant will be beneficial for purchasing milk, pampers, wipes and other care items for her three-year-old son who is living with disabilities.
Single father, Andrea Augustus, was present with his two-year-old son who has down syndrome. A father of two, Augustus shared that he was happy to be receiving the assistance.

“I feel a great good about it because nothing like this has never been done before on my behalf so I feel it’s a great assistance to me because I’m a man with two very small children,” Augustus said.

He added: “It will help to do a lot of things for him that I need to do right now. I am an elder person and all two of my children are very small, but I try my best. I’ve been looking him after on my own all this time without any help from anywhere. This is the first time that I am receiving any help and I am glad for it.”
He said notwithstanding his son’s disability, he believes that there is a purpose for his son, and he will continue to love him just as he is.

BLESSED
“I know that God made everyone in his own image and likeness and we are all for a purpose, we are all for a purpose and there is a reason that God made them. They are very special and blessed children. I don’t have any problem with him being not normal,” Augustus shared.

Also collecting a cash grant for her child was 30-year-old single mother of three, Junita Daniels, who was at the centre with her daughter, six-year-old, Kezia Pilgrim. Little Kezia was born without arms.
“It’s not easy. When she was born I cried a lot because I was so worried knowing that she is born like this and wondering how can she help herself to do certain things and all of that kept bothering me, but as she grows she’s improving more and more,” Daniels shared.

Notwithstanding her initial concerns for her daughter’s ability to live a normal life, Daniels said things have been working out and today her daughter is able to go to school like other children her age.
However, Daniels said Kezia gets sick often and so one thing she will be focusing on with her cash grant is putting money aside for medical emergencies.

“It will help me a lot at least to buy the important stuff that she needs and I can able to get to save some for her in the case of an emergency. Because she would stay just like that and take in sick a lot of times,” Daniels said.
Since Kezia does not have her arms, she does most activities, involving holding, with her feet. She also feeds herself with her feet, which, Daniels explained, is what puts Kezia, at increased health risk. In addition to Kezia, Daniels also has eight-year-old twin daughters.