Mother of seven investing ‘Because We Care’ grant

FOR DOROTHY RICHARDS, 32, A MOTHER OF SEVEN, $114,000 ($US570) IS A
WINDFALL.
Richards has six school-aged children, and will receive $19,000 for each under the government’s
current ‘Because We Care’ programme so far targeting only public sector learning institutions.
She lives at Myrie, on an island called Wakapoa on the Pomeroon River, Pomeroon/Supenaam
(Region Two). According to an education ministry press release, the 32-year-old, recently
employed as a Community Enhancement Officer, has plans investing some of the ‘manna from
heaven’ to help guarantee a steady income for her family.
“All my money I does invest in them. I don’t have a job, this man (husband) does bring in the
money. Every single dollar, I do spend on them. I don’t stress on myself too much,” she said in
the MoE release.
Life has been punishing for Ms. Richards and she is determined that things will be easier for her
seven children.
“I does work hard and [I don’t] really want them to work so hard like me,” she reportedly told
the Ministry of Education team during a sit down with the visiting team.
One of her daughters will write the regional Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC)
Examination offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) this year. The student is
proficient in Agriculture Science, particularly animal science, and according to the mother, she
will invest in the rearing of livestock to buffer the family’s income. This, she is confident, will
help improve the quality of life for her children.

“Me want to do something to keep me going with them children because they’re not easy to
support every day. Them daddy don’t be at home all the time, just me and them,” Richards
reportedly told Minister of Education, Ms. Priya Manickchand, who was part of the financial
distribution team in the Region Two community.

Her partner, Wesley Thomas, 42, is a utility labourer and sometimes travels to Essequibo
Islands/West Demerara (Region Three) and East Berbice/Corentyne (Region Six) in search of
employment.
He also accepts work in the mining sector to help make ends meet for his family, he said.
“I ain’t got a permanent boss I does work with. Anybody who come and need workers, I gone
because I can’t stay home, got to maintain the children,” he reportedly said.
Beneficiaries of the government’s ‘Because We Care’ cash grant scheme are not restricted how
they can utilise the monies, the MoE press statement advised.
“This grant is for the parents of this country to decide how they will spend it on their
children and what they will spend it on,” the education press release advised.