Visually impaired woman gifted new home by Gafoors and Human Services Ministry

Wendy Assaye, who is visually impaired, on Friday acquired the keys to a new home located in
Diamond, East Bank Demerara. This was made possible through the Human Services and Social
Security Ministry in collaboration with Gafsons Industries Limited (Gafoors).
Human Services Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, upon receiving a letter from the Guyana
Difficult Circumstances Unit (GDCU), immediately liaised with Gafsons Industries Limited to
bring the project into fruition. During the handover ceremony, Ms Assaye expressed thanks to
the Ministry and Gafoors for her much needed home. “I thank God, I thank God, I feel nice
because I would’ve gotten thrown out on the road. Thanks to Mr. Gafoor, that stepped in, he [
Mr. Gafoor] played a big part and I longed for this, I just feel happy,” she said.
The 20’ x 26’, two-bedroom house has an internal washroom, kitchen with cupboards and sink,
tiled floors, PVC ceilings and water tank and trestle. The certificate of inspection for electricity
was constructed and funded by Gafoors, on the land owned by Ms. Assaye. Dione Foo, Gafoors’
Administrative Assistant, presented the keys and said, “this is a usual practice but as a Muslim,
Mr. Gafoor does not advertise.”  In the past year, the company built 10 homes across Guyana for
vulnerable persons.
“When the Minister approached us, she wrote us a letter asking for a donation of a house for Ms.
Wendy. Readily, Mr. Gafoor agreed, and he got a contractor to construct the house. This is just
one of the houses that Mr. Gafoor has built for different persons in different areas, Region Three,
further on the East Bank, Mahaica etc,” Foo said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Persaud, extended gratitude to the company for partnering with the ministry to
construct the home. “I was very happy that Mr. Gafoor responded positively to my request to
construct a home for Mrs. Assaye because she would’ve reached out to us through our difficult
circumstances unit and we really wanted to offer tangible help. I am very grateful for the support
on this. I am very happy that now a senior citizen can now have good shelter and could be able to
live in a proper environment where she feels safe and secure,” the minister said.
She noted that when the PPP/C returned to office in August 2020, one of their mandates was to
build stronger connections with the private sector. This project is a direct representation of that
goal being achieved. “This is one way in which we try to collaborate with the private sector and
with companies and entities so that people can have improved shelter,” the Minister said.
Additionally, the ministry has committed to visiting the home and providing whatever support
Mrs. Assaye may need.