One million donated to rebuild One Mile Primary

Nov 24, 2012 News

– computers, DVD’s and flash drives also donated

New York-based Guyanese Sahaboob Yassin has followed up on a promise made earlier in the year, to donate $1 million to help with the reconstruction of the One Mile Primary School.
Yassin, his wife, and with members of the Youth Coalition for Transformation, including the president Jermaine Grant, travelled to the mining town during the week and made the presentation. Chairman of the Region Ten Democratic Council (RDC), Sharma Solomon, greeted Yassin.

Sahaboob Yassin hands over the cheque to the Linden representatives.

YCT president Jermaine Grant explained that Mr. Yassin’s visit to Linden was a follow up to the commitment of donations to citizens of Region Ten after Mr. Solomon and Ms Vanessa Kissoon’s recent visit to the United States to meet key stakeholders and Guyanese in the Diaspora.
Grant said that meetings were held in New York and New Jersey to highlight the economic challenges and realities of Linden and to forge a partnership with overseas-based Guyanese to support the economic development of Linden and the human development of residents of Region Ten.
On welcoming the delegation Mr. Solomon expressed appreciation of Mr. Yassin’s follow up visit and informed the delegation of the mobilization of residents to aid in the rebuilding of the One Mile Primary School and programmes for six communities that are less fortunate to establish community research centres that will target 2,500 young people.
He said that the centres will have interactive libraries with internet access supported from GT&T and also offer reading programs.
Mr. Yassin said that he would be donating the money to the rebuilding effort of the One Mile Primary School, along with four desktops and eight laptops to the research centers along with DVDs, flash drives, and literature for the libraries at the research centres.
In his presentation before the group, Mr. Yassin committed four computers for the centre with ready software installation and congratulated the group for efforts in setting up the centre.
President of YCT Jermaine Grant said that he was pleased to be present in Linden to engage with the RDC and community based organizations to network and share information and experience to build capacity and empower youths.
Mr. Grant contended that YCT service to the community is to “cement a relation” in partnership.
Member of Parliament, Ms. Vanessa Kissoon, expressed delight at the donation of computers by Mr. Yassin after his commitment during outreach fora by representatives of Region Ten in the US with Ms. Welsh of the community centre conveying heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the community of Victory Valley to Mr. Yassin for his kind donations.
The visit culminated with a trip to the Christianburg Community Centre that caters for sporting events such as basketball and football and where Mr. Solomon requested the YCT to assist with a pilot project to help in a structured programme with community centres in Region Ten.
The last stop was at the location of the destroyed One Mile Primary School. A representative of the school expressed frustration of the dislocation and discomfort of 837 pupils and staff of the school that are at three locations scattered across Linden.
The representative expressed the hope and desire for the early completion of rehabilitation of the school in addressing the inconvenience. The YCT committed to aid in the awareness of the programme to mobilize additional donations and support with telethons and raffles to aid in fundraising to rebuild the school.
The One Mile Primary School was destroyed by fire last August. Arson was suspected but no one was charged for the incident.