Haimaruni HEYS participants determined to make a difference

May 13, 2018 News

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Excitement among 20 talented youths in Haimaruni in the Moruca sub-district, Barima-Waini, Region One, is brewing as the Hinterland Employment Youth Service (HEYS) programme is changing the trajectory of their lives.

The youths there only a month ago completed the first six months of the one-year programme and already thriving businesses are noticeably evident.

During a recent trip to the village, Minister within the Ministry, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, visited three of the business establishments and was very pleased with the efforts made by the youths there.

A couple opened a snackette in the area where the village has already started developing a tourism project close to the Haimara Creek, a branch of the Waini River.

Cleveland David and his partner said since their business opened its doors; the community has been very supportive. They will continue to work towards its expansion as they eagerly await the completion of the village tourism initiative, which will further boost their business venture.

Among other business initiatives undertaken are subsistence and poultry farming, fishing and a bakery.

Agriculture ventures there, however, are on the increase as the youth are working individually and as groups to plant acres of farmland with cash crops and several permanent crops. The secondary school, the school feeding programmes, the village and neighbouring villages will be among the groups and institutions supporting these ventures, according to the REDO, Mr. Nigel Richards, who accompanied the Minister and her team to Haimaruni.

Parental involvement and support were also evident as parents continue to be active participants in ensuring their children’s business ventures are successful. One such example is a bakery established by two siblings, Shefiline and Shereen Smith.

Father of the Smith sisters sought the expertise of a villager who built a six-foot wooden oven lined with aluminium sheets, which they utilize to bake delicious pastries, bread, red cake (salara), butter-flap and more.

The elder Smith who wears many hats is a seasoned baker. Three times weekly, he would bake a variety of foods and the daughters who have already built a long list of supporters would venture into the village to sell their edibles.

Minister within the Ministry, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, and team recently visited the village and what is noteworthy is the fact that this is the first time in the history of the village that a sitting Minister of the Government has visited.

The Ministerial team was also ready to support financially a number of the businesses including the Smith’s bakery.

Members of the team were able to purchase snacks, drinks (sweet fly), red cakes and butter-flaps, which were hot out of the oven.

The Minister said she feels proud that the youth have grasped the opportunity provided them and are now venturing into small businesses. Their action represents an important economic advancement, which will ultimately change their lives.

“Our Government has invested a lot of money in our youth to build capacity so that they can establish their own businesses and it’s really good to know that it’s working,” the Minister said.

The Minister in highlighting other business ventures said, “There is a shop by the creek and a large farm and they have begun planting poi calaloo and all those things… so I can see these youths of Haimaruni, most of whom are school dropouts, now have hope, they are going ahead and have a chance to live a good life. They are grabbing the opportunity and I am very proud of them.”

Basil Cornelius, Senior Counsel of Haimaruni, satellite to the main village, Karaburi, acknowledged that parental support is a decisive factor in the success of the business ventures undertaken.

“They have started good initiatives that can work in the community and with continuous support coming from their parents their business can be successful. A year from now, I see them having very successful businesses,” the Senior Counsel explained.

Haimaruni, which has a population of approximately 150, was generally ignored by the  past regime and for the first time (2018) the village will benefit from a presidential grant (a Tourism Project is currently underway).

Over the years, grants were used to fund projects in the mother village of Karaburi.

The HEYS Programme, which is the Ministry’s Flagship Youth Programme, is aimed at giving indigenous/hinterland youth a second chance at life. Following its implementation in 2015, close to 4,000 young people from all ten Administrative Regions have benefitted.

This would have seen Government budget almost $2 billion in the nation’s indigenous youth.

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