:: Humanitarian Mission in Guyana ::

Monday, September 1, 2009

The New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir Inc has recently donated equipment and offered ser vices in various fields in the Berbice and other community as part of efforts to eliminate poverty in Guyana and make life better for the less fortunate,. The U. S.- based Guyanese group is funded by the contributions from Guyanese who reside in America. In 2005, the non- profitorganisation initiated projects in Guyana and has since expanded their mission to ensure that the needy children are provided with better living conditions.
Speaking with Guyana Times, Pandit Suresh Sugrim who is an executive member of the group said the body came into existence, after a visit he made a few years back, during which he discovered the poor conditions some children are forced to live under.
For the past months, Sugrim said the group had been engaged in blood donations drives, housing projects, and donation of wheel chairs among other items to the New Amsterdam Hospital. He added that the group also held discussions with residents of Albion, Berbice and addressed social issues such as alcohol abuse domestic violence, suicide and others that are destroying marriages and homes.
Sugrim said another project was undertaken when he attended a cultural event in East Canje during his stay in Guyana and noticed the unpleasant housing of an elderly woman, so he decided to rebuild her house which cost around US$ 6,000. He noted that funding for that project was contributed by Guyanese Americans.
In attending to the unfortunate persons, Sugrim added that contributions to poor families are decided by the level of income a family has, whether it is a single parent home or families that do not have another source of income, particularly in the rural areas.
Not only has the organisation worked with the Hindu communities or persons, but also through the mosques and churches. In the past, some of the group had partnered with Kids First Fund to help heart patients travel to India for surgeries.