GameXpress gives back to society; Poverty stricken residents receive assistance

 

By Tracey Khan – Drakes

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Garfield Dover, the 11 – year – old who gave recognition to poverty stricken community in Durban Backlands by passing his grade six assessment exam to attend St Roses High School has now received sponsorship that will last throughout his high school life from a Georgetown business, ‘GameXpress’ which is located at 25 North Road.

Dover surpassed the children of that community with 503 marks. The young man was presented with a number of school items and $35,000 as part of this sponsorship.

The owners of GameXpress – Audie and Nazeema Henriques – were touched by his story but mostly inspired by his success despite the many obstacles in his way. They have also promised to pay his tuition fees at the University of Guyana, providing his grades are up to standard.

Dover’s mother, Maria Henry was all smiles while receiving the items that will see him through the first year of his high school but got emotional when she spoke about the “weight that has been lifted off” her shoulders.

The mother of three has been trying to keep her head above water to meet the needs of all her children by giving them a proper education.

“I was surprise yea, because I didn’t expect something wonderful to happen to me and my son and they say it’s not something that will be happening for today but it will continue happening all through his five years at school.

“I am very happy and thankful to the family for game Xpress that able to present this offer to me and my son….and I hope God could continue blessing them and their business could go successfully, I am very grateful, I can’t say how much grateful,” the woman told iNews.

This act of kindness from complete strangers has motivated the mother to press on with hope that a better future awaits them.

“Well I’m gonna make sure that he study very hard and focus a lot….he will have little playing on the side but not much, and pick up his book a lot, revise a lot and whatever help I could pitch in as a mother, I will do that also because he have a lot of people depending on him especially the person that is helping him right now so he has to make them proud also, all through the year.”

Garfield has big dreams and intends to make his family and supporters proud. He wants to become either a Lawyer or a Scientist.

“I feel very happy and I hope God bless them……I intend to work very hard,” the young man said.

Mrs Henriques reminded of her childhood days, pointing out that she grew up in a depressed community with eight sisters, a hardworking mother and a father who struggled with alcohol addiction.

“I came out I did well, I went to Bishop’s, I had an older sister to help me….now we are all somehow or the other a little bit successful, some of us finish universities, some still in college and so were going and my mom had 9 girls…so I can understand where he is coming from and that’s why I wanted to help him to make sure he can get the best of it, at the end of the day education is gonna take him somewhere”.

An emotional Henriques also spoke about the importance of giving back to those in society who are less fortunate.

“I think some people need to give back and hopefully when we give back too we may be able to help somebody else and eventually we might all be out of these kind of situation, cause education is what got me and my sisters out of this cause I have no brothers….so that is what got us here and I am glad that I can help somebody else”.

Dover’s father lives in the United States and according to Maria, initially he helped but has since stopped after complaining of his own financial hardship.

GameXpress has also reached out to another family in the community and recently, donated a quantity of food items to expectant mother, Alexis Hardy and her kids.

Hardy has a mere structure that she was struggling to complete, however, GameXpress will aid in that process by completing the house for her.

iNews recently highlighted the plight of residents in the community, located behind the Chinese Embassy.