Online counseling platform to launch for families affected by MV Barima tragedy
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud
Key Points(5)
- The Guyana Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will this week launch EMBRACE , a national online counseling platform aimed at providing long-term psychosocial support to families affected by the MV Barima tragedy.
- Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr.
- Vindhya Persaud announced the initiative during an interview on the Starting Point podcast on Sunday.
- EMBRACE will connect affected individuals with counselors and specialists, including volunteers from the Guyanese diaspora, through confidential audio and video sessions.
- Persaud said the platform was tested last week and is expected to go live this week, initially focusing on survivors and families affected by the MV Barima disaster before being expanded to a wider population.
The Guyana Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will this week launch EMBRACE, a national online counseling platform aimed at providing long-term psychosocial support to families affected by the MV Barima tragedy.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Vindhya Persaud announced the initiative during an interview on the Starting Point podcast on Sunday.
EMBRACE will connect affected individuals with counselors and specialists, including volunteers from the Guyanese diaspora, through confidential audio and video sessions.
Persaud said the platform was tested last week and is expected to go live this week, initially focusing on survivors and families affected by the MV Barima disaster before being expanded to a wider population.
"It’s going to be a system where persons can request a time. They will see the list that is available, their specialties, and they can have confidential therapy and counseling from any one of these persons," Persaud said.
The minister said the government has also formally requested assistance from the Red Cross, the United Nations and other agencies. The UN Resident Representative’s Office and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have already responded, she said.
Support for families
Persaud said the ministry is also assessing financial assistance for families who lost a sole breadwinner in the disaster.
The assistance, which would cover immediate needs such as food and transportation, is being assessed on a case-by-case basis and is separate from any compensation related to the disaster.
"If it’s a breadwinner, we need to make sure they have food support, we need to make sure the children are taken care of, we need to make sure that the parents have that kind of support," Persaud said.
She added that the Office of the First Lady will directly manage support relating to children and their parents.
The breadwinner assistance forms part of the HEART initiative, a broader framework for responding to families affected by tragedies that was launched by President Irfaan Ali last month.
The MV Barima capsized and sank off Guyana’s northwestern coast on July 18. Dozens of people died in the disaster, while efforts to recover victims and address the needs of affected families have continued.
Persaud acknowledged that families who are still waiting for the recovery of loved ones are experiencing a distinct and ongoing form of grief.
She appealed to the public to show empathy toward affected families amid criticism of the government’s response and cautioned against exploiting their grief.
The minister also said the private sector is welcome to contribute to the government's efforts to support survivors and families affected by the tragedy.
