Chairman Dr Vincent Adams (6th from left) and members of the LFU
The Linden Fund USA (LFU), which is a hometown association in the United States, continues to focus on the economic sustainability of the Linden community through its continued educational and empowerment programs, which total in excess of Gy$6 million dollars annually. Chairman of the fund, Dr Vincent Adams, says his hope for Linden in another five years lies in the completion of the Lethem-Linden Highway. He told Guyana Times International that this and other strategies were included in the Linden Strategic Plan that LFU, in collaboration with the government of Guyana and other regional officials in Linden, worked diligently on a few years ago.
“If that road could be completed and that harbour could be built, I think everything else is going to fall (in place) from there, because it is going to be a big economic boom,” Adams said. “If you think that bauxite was the boom; this is going to make Linden something totally different. Of course, that comes also with lots of risks in terms of social problems, etc.” He is, however, adamant that this project will positively impact Linden, prompting LFU to impress upon the youths the importance of becoming involved in the community and focusing on education. “Education is at the cornerstone of our programs,” the LFU chairman said.
The last of nine students sponsored by the LFU graduated from the University of Guyana last November upon completion of a full four-year scholarship through the fund. The scholarship awardees, as part of the scholarship program, provided community service in the form of tutoring and mentoring those students who were classified as slow learners, every summer in collaboration with the Linden Care Foundation.
The scholarship program, valued at Gy$2.2 million, is scheduled to restart soon. LFU Secretary Linda Felix-Johnson said the program is on pause to allow the fund to reformat and re-examine the guidelines under which it operates. However, since there are some “people who are not geared for the college setting,” Felix-Johnson said, “what we are doing is offering some technical and business certificate courses, so if there is an applicant that would like to go to a business school…then we will offer that as well. We’re also thinking of assisting the nursing school at Linden.” This assistance will come in the form of text books.
Meanwhile, the Linden Town Week activities will run from April 25 through May 2, and will include a three-day educational workshop; women’s forum; health mission, that will consist of blood pressure, HIV and cholesterol testing; and leadership seminar. The LFU chairman told Guyana Times International during the leadership seminar that he hopes to urge the youths to provide that future leadership, since there is an obvious vacuum. He admitted that many of the younger people are migrating, and he insisted that the exodus has got to stop. His message to the youths is: “As you go through school now, you’ve got to think, ‘I’m going to make the best of my life here’, and try to let them just maximize their potential,” Adams said.
In the meantime, LFU also sponsors the backpack program wherein is provided backpacks filled with the necessary school supplies for the nursery-age students of four nursery schools in Linden; and there is also the Adopt-a-child program in which LFU gives US$25 each to 20 children per month. The money provides shelter, medication, food and other necessities to the children, who are either from single family homes, have no place to live, or are infected with HIV.
Last Saturday, in Brooklyn New York, the fund held its Annual Breakfast Social at the Woodbine Social Club, where many Guyanese had the opportunity to intermingle with each other and enjoy the Guyanese cuisine and culture.
LFU has several chapters throughout the U.S., including at New Jersey, Washington D.C. and Georgia. It receives funding through fund-raising events, corporate sponsorship, and from its membership; and the monies collected are used for the development of Linden.
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