Santa Rosa, the largest Amerindian Village in Guyana, with a population of over 12,000, has been given much needed COVID-19 relief by the Guyana Foundation.
The village’s Toshao, Whanita Phillips had reached out to the Guyana Foundation and explained that it was desperately in need of assistance.
During this pandemic, the villagers have minimal funds. Added to that, the village is remotely located and transportation, if any, is very expensive.
Charity, the largest trading village is far away on the Essequibo coast. The village has few sanitizing products, and masks etc.
According to Supriya Singh-Bodden, Founder of the Guyana Foundation, “The Foundation has put on hold a new sewing center we were about to open and we have redirected funds to sew masks and provide much needed supplies to this and other villages.”
She added, “Our first shipment of foodstuff and masks left Charity [yesterday].”
Guyana Foundation’s team members, Meena, Punesh, Deowattie , Ranie, and Gloria worked unceasingly at the Guyana Foundation’s Sunrise Center, practicing social distancing protocols to complete the sewing and packaging of masks.
Furthermore, counsellors trained by the Guyana Foundation, Madonna Adams Paul, and Miriam Hinds have stepped forward to volunteer their time to assist those who need psychological support during this time.
Krish Nath of the British Association of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy has been counselling persons from this village remotely.
Singh-Bodden continued, “I am very encouraged and inspired by all of the goodness that exists among the majority of the people of Guyana. We are a great people, we are loving, caring and a God fearing people, these difficulties too shall pass and our nation will be well again. Let us all keep praying and keep hope alive.”
Guyana Foundation has been working in this village since 2013 providing better drinking water and toilet facilities for the Primary school students. It has also provided supplies to the dormitory where many children from outlying areas stay to attend school.
The Guyana Foundation has also donated to the secondary school and kept in close touch with the village over the years.
Santa Rosa is an Arawak village. It is comprised of a collection of ten small islands spread out in the savannah wetlands, along a ten mile stretch of the Moruca River.
During the rainy season when the savannahs flood, Santa Rosa becomes a collection of 10 small islands, but these islands are linked by paths and bridges that are crossable in the dry season. Santa Rosa is located 29 km from the mouth of the Moruca River.
The main village, Moruca, has the Police Station, Hospital, Post Office, and a cluster of shops. Nearby villages include Kumaka, Akwero and Acquero.
