[www.inewsguyana.com] – The New Jersey Arya Samaj (NJAS) is hoping to create additional employment in Berbice with the commissioning of its skills training/counseling & empowerment centre for youths and adults in Port Mourant Village.
President of NJAS, Pandit Suresh Sugrim said they are working to commission the building by August this year after which free training for vulnerable persons in Region Six will commence. This is aimed at making those persons marketable so that they can care for themselves and family.
“At this centre, youths and adults would be given an opportunity to learn various skills that will enable them to earn a living and so get themselves out of the cycle of poverty in which many youths and adults are caught up.”
Pandit Sugrim embraces the philosophy of “teaching a man to fish rather than providing him a fish”. He told iNews that sharing “handouts” to those in need is a temporary solution which cannot help those in poverty to truly overcome it.
“People should be trained to make a living on their own and once they have skills they won’t be dependent on anyone, he noted.”
The organization will be offering training in a number of areas including sewing, plumbing, electrical and literacy for persons all age.
Sugrim noted that after persons complete the training, the organization is looking to employ them to help train others. The center is also looking to open a small garment factory to create employment.
This is the first building to be constructed by the organization overseas as part of its Humanitarian Mission Village project. It is undertaken in collaboration with the Guyana Central Arya Samaj, government agencies and NGOs in North America and Guyana. Religious organizations in Canada are also assisting with the project. The approximate cost of the building is $30M. [Tracey Khan – Drakes]
