THE Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited, (GT&T) has made a donation of one million dollars ($1M) to the Habitat for Humanity Society.

The donation was made recently at the GT&T office on Brickdam, and the occasion was in commemoration of World Habitat Day 2012.
Habitat Resource Development Coordinator, Sinikka Henry said that in December 1985, the United Nations General Assembly declared World Habitat Day as the first Monday in every October.
She said this year’s theme of ‘Many Homes, One Community’ is expected to call attention to the pivotal role of housing in a neighbourhood’s progression.
She related that World Habitat Day is a day for action and solidarity throughout the world, and GT&T is leading the way in Guyana by once again demonstrating its vision and solidarity with those living in substandard housing.
She said GT&T has been partnering with Habitat for Humanity in Guyana since 1998; and is today donating money in order to assist that society to provide affordable and adequate housing as a part of its mission to develop communities across Guyana.
She said Habitat for Humanity’s worldwide supporters would participate in special activities that highlight the need for safe and affordable shelter.
Henry expressed hope that other local entities would join GT&T in making an annual or monthly contribution to the society, by building the Habitat for Humanity into their budgets for the fiscal year and beyond, just as GT&T has been doing.
Administrative Assistant of the society, Clifton Ridley, says the purpose of commemorating World Habitat Day is to call attention to the need for better shelter around the world; to let it be known that affordable and adequate housing should be a priority everywhere; and to change the systems, policies and attitudes that lead to poor housing, and involve partners in solutions.
Ridley noted that GT&T has been an invaluable partner to Habitat for Humanity in Guyana for almost 15 years; and with the donation, GT&T has provided vital relief for a family living under grossly inadequate conditions.
GT&T’s commitment to national development over the years has helped the Habitat for Humanity provide shelter for more than 300 families on the East Coast of Demerara, the West Bank of Demerara, and in Georgetown and Linden.
The society relies on volunteers and donations of both cash and kind to help construct affordable houses for inadequately sheltered families.
The families pay for the cost of the houses using nonprofit, long-term mortgages.
Ridley said a group of enthusiastic Habitat for Humanity staff members began commemorating World Habitat Day by volunteering on a Habitat construction site at Westminster, West Bank Demerara, last Saturday.       Together, they were able to move numerous wheel barrow loads of sand and stacks of cement blocks onto the site, thus contributing a considerable amount to the savings represented in the form of labour cost.