GEPAN continues to support families during the COVID-19 pandemic, by providing them with relief packages. Our solidarity hampers contain basic food and hygiene necessities to help see socially and economically vulnerable families through this challenging period that further limits their income and resources.
Our latest activities provided hampers and school stationery to indigenous communities in the hinterland, as well as on the East Coast and West Bank Demerara. Twenty Casio scientific calculators were also donated to support the Waramadong Secondary School students in Region 7 . Hinterland distribution was made possible with the logistical support of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), through Ms. Jude Da Silva to whom GEPAN is much grateful.
With the imminent return of children to school, GEPAN is slowly resuming its SEC back-to-school activities with a first donation of material to the NTC. However, our activities have considerably slowed due to the confinement measures and uncertainties resulting from the ongoing health crisis. Another impact of COVID-19 on our activities is the decline in in-country donations. Though this has had an unfortunate effect on our food bank, GEPAN still benefits from the support of private donors, especially those in the diaspora, who share our concerns for fellow citizens. These are our core donors whose generosity sustains our food bank and made our solidarity drive possible so far.
The distribution of solidarity hampers was implemented as one of our focus areas prior to the COVID-19 break-out. As a result, it is intended to last beyond the eradication of the virus from Guyana. This is our way of helping to eradicate poverty and hunger which is still a developmental issue in Guyana.
If you would like to donate to our food bank click here. You can also contact us for more information on contributions in kind.
We are also interested in donations of school material. For more information on items children need to go to school in Guyana, feel free to contact us here.