The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) recently presented two cheques to the David Rose Community High School and the Kuru Kururu Community-based Rehabilitation Pro-grammme respectively to enhance their programmes.

GDF Lieutenant Colonel Kemraj Persaud (right) hands over a cheque to David Rose Community High School Senior Mistress, Philomena Richmond-Jones as two students and another teacher look on.

According to a press release Lieutenant Colonel Kemraj Persaud handed over a cheque valued “at just over forty thousand dollars,” to two teachers and students from the David Rose Community High School. The cheque is to assist the school to purchase three cylinders of gas from Docol for its science laboratory.

In his address Persaud said “helping to provide opportunities for the empowerment of Guyana’s youths was just one way to help take our country forward.” He added that he hoped the students will have lots of fun learning experiences in the Science lab after the equipment has been acquired.

Social Studies teacher Anansa Payne who received the cheque on behalf of her school said the GDF’s assistance is timely and “will definitely add to the schools delivery of education.” About 200 pupils are enrolled at the school which boasts class sizes of 30 to 35 students.

Persaud also handed over a cheque for $10,000 to Coordinator at the Kuru Kururu Community-based Rehabilitation Programme Carmen Critchlow. The money is to assist the centre to host a Christmas party for about 80 differently-abled persons from the community.

In her remarks Critchlow said she was grateful for the donation saying it “will go a long way toward spreading some joy for the beneficiaries.” She said the Programme was established in 2002 and has 22 trained volunteers. Volunteers are trained by the Voluntary Services Overseas which is coordinated by National Adviser on Community-based Rehabilitation Geraldine Maison-Halls. Its objectives are to teach the disabled persons to cope with their environment while counselling and teaching their families how to care for them.

The donations were made at a simple ceremony hosted at defence headquarters.