The Trans Guyana Airways family this year upheld a seven-year tradition of distributing gifts and ‘goodie bags’ to the children of Kamarang, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
A team from the company, including Santa Claus and his helpers, travelled to the Akawaio community Friday where the children were waiting in anticipation.
Kamarang has a population of about 700 and engages in mining and logging activities and a bit of farming. It is also one of Trans Guyana’s popular destinations.
Captain Andre Farinha, who is also the Director of Operations at Trans Guyana, told the News Room that quite often a lot of attention is placed by corporate Guyana to children on the coastland around this festive season.
As such Trans Guyana made the decision focus on the children in Kamarang who are 14 years old and younger.
“In our outreach efforts to include children around Christmas time, the season of goodwill, we started the programme seven years ago where we look to expand our good cheer away from the coastland into the hinterland areas,” Captain Farinha said.
Captain Farinha said they also introduce the children to things that they may not be exposed to such as snow cones, face painting and candy floss.
“Kamarang is special to us place for years and to see those children in their glee, it is quite pleasing and that is what Christmas is about, it’s about giving and sharing,” Captain Farinha said.
He explained that the programme also caters to teachers.
“Often we forget the efforts that teachers make in the holistic development of the students because from them we have all the other professions that emerge, so we have included the teachers.”
Before presenting each child with a Christmas present, Santa Claud and his helpers made the two-minute walk from the airstrip to the Kamarang Primary School ringing a bell to announce their arrival.
Friday was also the last day for the academic school term and about 250 children had more reasons to smile and celebrate as they got to meet Santa Claud and also received a present.
Headteacher of the school Alex Crammar said the children look forward to the event every year.
“This outreach has become an annual event here in Kamarang and the experience seems to be getting bigger and more joyous especially for the kids,” Crammar said.
Trans Guyana is a third-generation aviation company which started in 1953; it is now a regional operator and provides flights to over 30 destinations locally. (Isanella Patoir)
