MORE than 500 primary and secondary schoolchildren in Bartica received backpacks and school supplies on Saturday as the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) continued its nationwide back-to-school programme.
The Bartica outreach is part of an initiative valued at more than G$6 million, through which the Association is distributing approximately 1,000 school packages to children in communities across Guyana.
Each beneficiary received a backpack containing school supplies, while lunch was also provided during the exercise, which catered for children who travelled from communities outside Bartica.
GGDMA Managing Director, Avalon Jagnandan said the Association was pleased to take the initiative to Bartica, which has a longstanding connection with Guyana’s mining industry.
“Bartica means a lot to us, and we appreciate the community which has supported the mining sector over the years,” Jagnandan said.
“We are happy to be here in the mining town of Bartica, the gateway to the interior, and to reach out to over 500 kids, both primary and secondary. Each child received a backpack with school supplies, and we also provided lunch because some of these children travelled from far-flung areas,” he added.
The Bartica distribution follows an earlier handover in Region Four, where children from several communities and organisations also benefitted from school supplies.
According to the GGDMA, more than 20 miners contributed to the programme, enabling the Association to expand the initiative to communities across the country.
Jagnandan said the Association appreciated the support of its partners in making the programme possible.
“This is a project valued at over $6 million, and we want to say thank you to our partners. We have more than 20 miners who contributed towards this back-to-school initiative, and the support allows us to reach children in communities across Guyana,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Technical of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Jimmy Reece, attended the Bartica exercise and commended the GGDMA for supporting communities across Guyana.
Region Seven Regional Councillor, Lorenzo Best, also welcomed the initiative, describing it as a meaningful contribution to families in the region.
“What we witnessed here today is a true act of altruism by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association. It was very beneficial and well received by the residents of Region Seven,” Best said.
He noted that the packages contained stationery and other essential items needed by children for the new school year.
Best thanked the GGDMA on behalf of the Regional Democratic Council and residents of Region Seven, saying the assistance would contribute to the educational needs of the beneficiaries.
Bartica resident Kiana Scott, who attended the exercise, said the assistance would help families meet some of the costs associated with preparing children for school.
“The backpacks will go a long way for our children in need. The fact that they also catered for lunch shows that they care and continue to think about us,” Scott said.
She also thanked the Association and its members for continuing to support communities.
The back-to-school programme forms part of the GGDMA’s broader corporate social responsibility efforts, with the Association highlighting support for children, families and mining communities as part of its community outreach.
The Association also acknowledged GGDMA’s Executive Member, Vishanti Balgobin, for her assistance in organising the Bartica outreach.
The next school-package handover is scheduled for Linden as the GGDMA continues its nationwide distribution.
The Association has maintained that the mining sector’s contribution to Guyana extends beyond mineral production and economic activity to include support for communities and investments in the next generation.