The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has signed a contractual agreement with the Rotary Club of Georgetown (RCGT) to collaborate on mutually beneficial projects for both organisations.
One such activity is a Beautification Project for the Palms Geriatric Home on Brickdam in the City of Georgetown.
The Palms was established in 1874 under British colonial rule and was called “The Alms House”. In 1974, a century later, it was renamed “The Palms Elderly Care Facility” and is fully funded by the Guyana Government.
The facility provides efficient and adequate 24-hour nursing care for the elderly residents, as well as, free services to destitute Guyanese senior citizens.
In view of giving back to the community and to improve the aesthetics of the Geriatric home, the RCGT and IICA further partnered with the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), providing ornamental and fruit tree crops for the beautification project.
On Sunday, October 10, 2021, a contingent of staff from the RCGT, NAREI and IICA participated in a landscaping exercise.
A landscape layout was agreed to with the facility’s management for arranging the various flowering plants along the access way in the main compound and also outside of the fence, in a layout that would display combinations and contrasts of colour when the plants bloom.
To add to the beautification of the Institution, plants with attractive variegated leaves were also planted as a back drop to the flowering ones. Further, various varieties of palm plants were also added to the display.
The team of volunteers consisted of persons digging holes for the plants, while others planted the bagged plants that were obtained from the NAREI Nursery. Some of the older existing trees in the compound were removed, replaced and trimmed.
Overall a cooperative spirit of work ensued among the three institutions present with assistance also rendered by representatives from the Palms. The exercise began at 06:00hrs and was completed before noon.
For more information: iica.guyana@iica.int, rotaryclubofgeorgetown@gmail.com
