Human Services Ministry, Gafoors gift visually impaired woman new home

Visually impaired, Wendy Assaye, on Friday acquired the keys to a new home located in Diamond, East Bank Demerara, through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security in collaboration with Gafsons Industries Limited (Gafoors).

Human Services Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, MP., upon receiving a letter from the Guyana Difficult Circumstances Unit (GDCU), immediately liaised with Gafsons Industries Limited to bring the project into fruition.

During the handover ceremony, Ms Assaye expressed gratitude to the Ministry and Gafoors for her much needed home.

“I thank God, I thank God, I feel nice because I would’ve gotten thrown out on the road. Thanks to Mr. Gafoor, that stepped in, he [ Mr. Gafoor] played a big part and I longed for this, I just feel happy,” she said.

The 20’ x 26’, two-bedroom house has an internal washroom, kitchen with cupboards and sink, tiled floors, PVC ceilings and water tank and trestle. The certificate of inspection for electricity was constructed and funded by Gafoors, on the land owned by Ms. Assaye.

Gafoors’ Administrative Assistant, Dione Foo presented the keys and said, “this is a usual practice but as a Muslim, Mr. Gafoor does not advertise.”  In the past year, the company built 10 homes across Guyana for vulnerable persons.

“When the Minister approached us, she wrote us a letter asking for a donation of a house for Ms. Wendy. Readily, Mr. Gafoor agreed, and he got a contractor to construct the house. This is just one of the houses that Mr. Gafoor has built for different persons in different areas, Region Three, further on the East Bank, Mahaica etc,” said Foo.

Meanwhile, Minister Persaud, extended gratitude to the company for partnering with the ministry to construct the home. She said, “I was very happy that Mr. Gafoor responded positively to my request to construct a home for Mrs. Assaye because she would’ve reached out to us through our difficult circumstances unit and we really wanted to offer tangible help. I am very grateful for the support on this. I am very happy that now a senior citizen can now have good shelter and could be able to live in a proper environment where she feels safe and secure.”

When the PPP/C Administration returned to office in August 2020, one of their mandates was to build stronger connections with the private sector. This project is a direct representation of that goal being achieved.

“This is one way in which we try to collaborate with the private sector and with companies and entities so that people can have improved shelter,” noted Minister Persaud.

Additionally, the ministry has committed to visiting the home and providing whatever support Mrs. Assaye may need.