From Guyana Chronicle
Monday, 16 August 2010 06:38
The New Jersey Arya Samaj Inc. showed its support for the work of the Help and Shelter organization with a monetary donation last Wednesday at the Shelter’s Home Stretch Avenue, D’Urban Park Georgetown, headquarters.



[President of the Arya Samaj Mandir Inc., Pandit Suresh Sugrim, hands over check to Chairman of the Help and Shelter, Ms. Denise Dias. Also in picture , from left, are Finance Officer Niveta Shiojatan, Director Secretary Josephine Whitehead, Coordinator Margaret Kurtzious, and counsellors Karen Gomes and Julian Haynes]

Pandit Suresh Sugrim, President of the charitable organisation presented the cheque for $100,000 to the Chairman of Help and Shelter, Ms. Denise Dias.
Sugrim stated that the money, which was garnered by donations from Guyanese living in America, was for the empowerment of battered women in Guyana. Expressing total disgust at such violence, Sugrim said that it was a “sad phenomena” that women often stay in abusive relationships until they get killed.
“Women need to be strong and say enough is enough”, he stated. He expressed concern at the high rate of crimes of this nature, suggesting that there should be stronger penalties. Sugrim opined that a lot of domestic violence results from alcohol consumption, and he appealed to religious leaders to discourage drinking.
Sugrim pledged continued support for Help and Shelter.
Dias thanked the Arja Samaj for the contribution, which she said was “much needed”. Commenting that the domestic violence situation is “awful”, she said that more funding is needed to assist counsellors to carry out the work of the shelter. She called on more persons and organizations to come forward and offer assistance.
The New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir Inc. executed its first Humanitarian Mission in Guyana in 2005, working with the Berbice Central Arya Samaj (Regional Branch of the Guyana Central Arya Samaj) in reaching out to the less fortunate children in orphanages in the Berbice.
Help & Shelter was founded in 1995 to work against all types of violence, especially domestic and sexual violence and child abuse.