THE Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) has launched a major back-to-school initiative that will provide 1,000 school packages to children and children of workers in the mining sector across Guyana, representing an investment of more than G$6 million in the education and development of the nation’s children.
According to a press release from GGDMA, the first handing-over exercise was held on Saturday at the GGDMA Secretariat, with approximately 150 students from communities across Region Four benefitting from the programme.
Beneficiaries included children from Buxton, East Coast Demerara; Sophia, Georgetown; and families supported by Women Across Differences (WAD).
Speaking at the exercise, GGDMA Managing Director, Avalon Jagnandan, said the programme is part of the Association’s continuing commitment to corporate social responsibility and investing in Guyana’s future.
“Kids are the future of our country, and as a sector, we want to ensure that our kids are well equipped so that they can receive a proper education. This initiative will continue across the other mining regions and districts over the next week,” Jagnandan said.
He explained that the programme builds on the Association’s previous social responsibility initiatives. Last year, the GGDMA assisted several small miners in returning to work, while this year the Association’s management and executive team decided to focus on supporting children as they return to school.
Jagnandan also thanked the miners who contributed to the initiative.
“We have 20 miners on board who contributed towards this project. The project is valued at over $6 million, and we are looking at over a thousand school packages which will be distributed across the length and breadth of Guyana,” he said.
The wider initiative is made up of 500 Primary School Packages and 500 Secondary School Packages, which will be distributed to children in communities across Guyana.
Among the organisations benefitting from the first distribution was Women Across Differences, a non-governmental organisation that focuses on the empowerment of women and youth, particularly young girls and teenage mothers. WAD works with communities in several regions of Guyana, including Regions One, Four, Five, Six and Nine.
Clonel Samuels-Boston, Coordinator of Women Across Differences, expressed appreciation to the GGDMA for including the organisation and the children of the teenage mothers it supports in the initiative.
“We really appreciate what the GGDMA has done for the children of our teenage mothers. This is the first time we have engaged with the Association, and we are very grateful for this support. I know this is just the beginning, and we look forward to working together and supporting each other in the future,” Boston said.
The school supplies would provide meaningful assistance to the children and their families as they prepare for the new academic year. The community organiser from Buxton, Mr. Devon Adams, was also deeply appreciative for the partnership with the GGDMA
On behalf of Team Diamond, I would like to thank the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association for reaching out to Buxton and helping with the school supply for some of the kids. We thank you guys very much and we look forward to working with you in the future in the development of the kids of Buxton.
The GGDMA said the initiative reflects the mining sector’s broader responsibility to contribute to the development of the communities in which it operates and to invest in opportunities that can positively affect the lives of young people.
With the beginning of the new school year, the Association hopes the packages will help ease some of the financial burden faced by parents and guardians while ensuring that children are properly equipped to return to the classroom.
The Region Four exercise represents the first phase of the nationwide distribution, with additional packages expected to be distributed to children in other mining regions and districts.
The GGDMA expressed its appreciation to the 20 miners who contributed to the programme and requested to remain anonymous, noting that their generosity made the initiative possible.
Through the programme, the association said it hopes to demonstrate that Guyana’s mining sector remains committed not only to the country’s economic development, but also to strengthening communities and investing in the next generation.