Banks DIH donates sewing machine to inspirational Canje fire victim

Jan 10, 2012 News

Many were inspired by the strength shown by Berbice fire victim, Ms Doreen Sutherland,

Mr Reginald Matthews hands over the sewing machine to Ms Sutherland in the presence of other employees and Sales Manager, Joshua Torrezao

of King Street, Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice .
Just recently her story was repeated under the caption ‘The woman who sang and prayed while her home burned’.
Since that publication, several persons, among them Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Jennifer Webster, reached out to Ms Sutherland.
Banks DIH Limited, too was inspired by the woman’s story and decided to pitch in by assisting Ms Sutherland with a brand- new multi-purpose sewing machine.
Sutherland, prior to the fire which destroyed her entire home on Father’s Day last year, made a few ends meet by sewing. She lost the machine and other household appliances in the fire.
Area Manager in Berbice, Mr Reginald Matthews, stated that he “only thought it fitting to call to my Human Resources Director, Mr Andrew Cartick, and he asked me to send him a letter, which I did. He also read the article in the papers and he was so moved that he took it to the Chairman”. It didn’t take me one day for him to approve. He called me back and said the company is willing to purchase a machine”, he posited. “I must thank Mr [Leon] Suseran for writing a beautiful report in the papers”, he related.
“May God continue to bless you and inspire you as you have inspired us”, he told Ms Sutherland during the handing- over ceremony at the New Amsterdam Banks DIH Office. An overjoyed Sutherland expressed thanks to Mr Matthews and the company for the kind gesture.
Ms Sutherland said that Minister Webster spoke with her and pledged to send someone to Berbice to assess her present situation.
Ms Sutherland plans to start rebuilding her home shortly.