Fire victims get help from Guyana Red Cross branch and wider community

The Lethem branch of the Guyana Red Cross (GRC-LB) has joined hands with the community to assistant a family which lost their home in a July 31 fire.

Mrs. Debra Francis, who lost her husband last year, came home from her farm to find her home located in the indigenous community of Baitoo in flames.

The fire left Mrs Francis, her mother and seven children (ranging in age six months to 16 years) homeless.  Baitoon has a population of 224 and is located in the South Central District of Region 9, Guyana.

 The fire spread rapidly; it started when a strong wind blew flames from a cooking hearth onto the thatched roof of the house. Nothing could be saved.

GRC-LB received a letter from the community asking for assistance, and responded by joining with the Lethem community to donate some items to Mrs Francis and her family: hammocks, hygiene kits, kitchen wares, clothing and some food items.

Currently, the village of Baitoon is soliciting assistance for the family and has given Mrs. Francis a few bags of farine (by-product of cassava) to sell, and use the income to meet her family’s needs.