First Lady Sandra Granger has set up a foundation to help vulnerable women and youths.
The Anira Foundation, named after the Queenstown, Georgetown Street where she grew up, was launched on Thursday at the Cara Lodge Hotel.
“My memories of Anira Street are very fond ones and full of positive memories of belonging, sharing and children feeling very safe in a neighbourhood watched over by all the adults regardless of their social status.
”So that is why I chose Anira; I didn’t want anything to be named after me,” the First Lady stated.
The establishment of the Anira Foundation was first conceptualized in 2017 by Mrs Granger who wanted to continue the work she started upon assuming her role as First Lady in 2015.
“Since we wanted to have all the bells and whistles in place and to make sure that we’re a transparent organization that we followed all the legal guidelines it took us some time to be registered,” she stated.
“We have done everything to comply with the anti-money laundering and financing of terrorism act, so we are really striving to be open and transparent in all that we do,” the First lady further noted.
Mrs. Granger noted that the Foundation has already made notable contributions to the success of groups such as Stem Guyana and various other empowerment projects.
The Foundation will be mostly undertaking projects at the community level. In this regard, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan spoke of the Foundation’s importance.
“As I understand it, the aim of this Foundation is to help persons to help themselves and…discharges its work primarily via local organs across Guyana, these mostly being Regional Democratic councils and other local government organs,” Minister Bulkan said.
“This is where the Ministry of Communities comes in; from time to time we will be called upon to play a facilitative role,” he noted.
The Foundation will be funded through donations. Already it has received donations from the Guyana United Youth Development Association of New York.
A project by the Foundation is set to commence in 2020 with funding from the Gilead Science with focus on improving the sexual and reproductive health of young people and in particular reducing HIV and AIDS.
It was noted that this is a three-year project that will be done in three phases, commencing in Sophia, then in Regions 1 and Region 9.
The Foundation also has plans to conduct remedial education for primary school children in the Buxton/Friendship and Lusignan areas as well as education assistance for teen mothers.
The Foundation will be assisting teen mothers to complete their secondary education and to write their CXC. The Foundation will also assist IVT workshops for adolescence and out of school youths.
The Anira Foundation Headquarters is located at 5 Thorne’s Drive, Durban Backlands, Georgetown.
