Parika Façade CDC fetes hundreds of children
DPI, Sunday 23 December 2018
The Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sports collaborated with the Parika Facade Community Development Council (CDC) to bring Christmas joy to hundreds of children in the Parika Facade community.
The happy event was hosted at Barns Avenue, Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo on Saturday. It featured a cultural presentation full of performances that displayed Guyana’s rich culture and the symbolic lighting of a village tree that was planted by villagers.
Hundreds of parents turned out with their children to witness this first of its kind activity in their community and each child received a toy from Santa Claus along with a photo opportunity.
The welcome address was delivered by the Chairman of the CDC Sunil Oudit who expressed his surprise at the large turnout and satisfaction at the level of co-operation displayed by volunteer community workers.
“When this gesture was conceptualized, there were many nay-sayers but we as a team co-operated and collaborated. We spent from our own pockets and the Government was overwhelmingly supportive and we made it. This is to show that we are fighters for love and harmony in our community,” said an energised and excited Sunil Oudit.
Representing the Region was Regional Social Cohesion Officer Alshazie Ramlakan who pledged to continue working with this CDC group that has grown exponentially in a matter of months. She also called for more people to join the group and participate in the development of a greater community.
Technical Officer at the Department of Social Cohesion Pamela Nauth gave the overview of the activity. “Social Cohesion is a process of nurturing individuals and community relationships in building a unified Guyana. A unified Guyana where diversities are embraced, conflicts resolved, network and collaboration with stakeholders strengthened, equity promoted and decision-making processes result in equal opportunities and benefits for all. Today we are supporting actions that strengthen key partnerships across sectors, facilitate bridging of gaps within and across communities and contribute to socio-economic, cultural, spiritual well-being and enriched livelihoods for all.”
Nauth further reminded the gathering that the core values of the Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sports are Integrity, Trust, Service, Transparency and Accountability, Reliability, Responsiveness and Inclusivity.
The activity ended with lots to eat and drink, compliments of the donors which also included the business community of Parika, Regional Administration of Region Three, other government agencies and the villagers themselves.
Story and Images: Ganesh Mahipaul