MOM gifts new home to a 63-year-old
Sixty-three-year-old Isaac Thompson of Greenwich Park, East Bank Essequibo, was the proud recipient of a brand new two-bedroom home, courtesy of the Men on Mission.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, presented Thompson with the keys to his new home during a ceremony on Saturday.
Thompson said that the new home has given him a renewed sense of purpose after a devastating fire left him and his family of five without a suitable home.
Reflecting on the dire state of affairs prior to the construction of the new home, Thompson told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that he and his family have been living in a makeshift home and sleeping on mattresses they would lay on the floor.
“I never expected to get a house like this. It was six of us sleeping in a 13 x 20, and we made ourselves comfortable. That was our hall, our kitchen, our bedroom, everything. From the 7th of June to today,” he said.
Thompson continued, “I want to thank the Men on Mission and the government for doing this for us. I feel so good about this.”
His eldest daughter, Monica Thompson, also expressed her appreciation for the new home.
“The PPP/C government and the Men on Mission have given my father the opportunity to have a place he can call home again. I am very thankful for their help,” she said.
Minister Indar congratulated Thompson and emphasised that the government is keen on ensuring that vulnerable groups get the necessary support.
“These houses that we hand over, they show the country that when we put the money in the budget to fund this program it’s delivering to the vulnerable people in society – people who have lost hope. That is what the money is being spent on,” the minister said.
Minister Indar also pointed out that aside from uplifting vulnerable Guyanese, the home-building aspect of the Men on Mission provides employment opportunities for local businesses.
“Some of the workers from this community, and Tuschen would have helped with building the house. They would have bought nails from the hardware supplier; the concrete blocks would have come from a man making concrete right here. So, everything has a process where other people benefit from it,” he said.
The Men on Mission initiative, a brainchild of President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, is a social and community development programme that aims to reintegrate men into society by equipping them with essential skills for the labour market and promoting positive change within communities.
Beyond building homes, this group has impacted vulnerable communities through a range of vital humanitarian initiatives.
Recently, a youth empowerment and mentorship programme was launched in Georgetown and Lethem designed to equip youth with critical life skills.
The government has allocated $500 million to the Men on Mission in its 2024.
