Radio Needy Children’s Fund fêtes Berbice kids

Dec 14, 2009 News

MIBICURI, BLACK BUSH POLDER – The Radio Needy Children’s Fund fêted about 500 children in the Black Bush Polder area yesterday.

These children are obviously enjoying the treat.

Co-ordinator for the Radio Needy Children’s Fund, Faizal Jaffarally, indicated that during the two-hour activity, the young ones were each treated to a luncheon, given presents and other goodies, played games, spoke to Santa Claus and sang Christmas Carols.

The organisation, which is a section of the National Communication Network, would be hosting a total of 16 of these Christmas parties for approximately 6,500 children countrywide. The next one for Region Six is slated for Saturday at the Skeldon Primary School.

Chairman of the Radio Needy Children’s Fund, Mohammed Sattaur, said that the organisation provides scholarships for nursery, primary and secondary school children in Guyana and offers care giving packages on a regular basis. Students attending the University of Guyana can be given a $10,000 monthly stipend to assist in offsetting travelling expenses depending on their financial circumstances and medical assistance is also provided for needy children.

Meanwhile, earlier on Sunday, Mr. Sattaur handed out 25 food and toy hampers to needy families at Fort Ordnance, Black Bush Polder, Plegt Anker, and other sections of Region Six.

The group expressed gratitude to Fogarty’s, Bounty Supermarket, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, the Hand-In-Hand Group of Companies, Black Bush Water Users’ Association among other sponsors.

According to Mr. Sattaur, the Radio Needy Children’s Fund has been in existence for 55 years. It began after Mrs. Olga Lopes-Seales, a former broadcaster, saw children playing in the streets in the vicinity of Broadcasting House and decided to hold a Christmas party, at that venue, for 20 children. The event was broadcasted live on radio, attracted countrywide attention and from then it grew by leaps and bounds. An all year volunteer committee was eventually formed.

A few years ago, the organisation introduced the Letter to Santa Programme. This is where children pen their Christmas wishes, send them off to Santa and leave it up to Jolly Old St. Nick to do the rest. Mr. Sattaur pointed out that this programme has been a success and more so with the help of the Publisher of the Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, who in 2008 practically took over the drive.

The Radio Needy Children’s Fund is aiming at bigger Christmas parties to embrace the growing number of children but this depends on the amount of help both cash and kind is given.

The other parties would be held at the National Communications Network in Georgetown and Linden, Onderneeming, Mahaica Creek, Bare Root, and Enmore, Ituni, Mahdia, Karasabai, Lethem, Annai and at the Georgetown GUM Clinic.