Dear Editor,
Some time ago, I wrote about how surprised I was to see real benefits from Guyana’s growing oil and gas sector reach something as simple, yet important, as my child’s school.
As a mother of a student at West Demerara Secondary School, I’ve seen the difference since Project FLOW introduced a water purification system. It may seem like a small thing, but it has made daily life easier for many students, including my daughter, who no longer has to worry about buying water after the bottle she filled at home runs out.
It also made me reflect on my own school days, when we had to walk with our bottles filled from home and then sometimes look for a pipe if we got thirsty during the day. So to see children now having access to clean drinking water right at school is something I can truly appreciate.
I understand why many Guyanese still feel that the benefits from oil are taking time to reach them, and in some cases, that may be true. But when you see changes like this, it shows that some of what is being planned is starting to take shape in real ways.
As more schools benefit from similar systems, I hope there is proper attention given to maintenance. It is important that these facilities continue to work reliably so that students can depend on them every day.
At the end of the day, it is small changes like this that people notice; clean water in a school, less burden on parents, and a better environment for children to learn. These are the changes that really matter.
Sincerely,
Shelly Singh
