$7M shade tunnel to help women at Timehri Prison grow crops, build skills

(Kaieteur News) – The Rotary Club of Garden City (RCGC) on Wednesday handed over a $7 million shade tunnel to the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) at the Timehri Women’s Prison, providing women in custody with an opportunity to grow vegetables and acquire practical agricultural skills to support their reintegration into society.

The project was funded by the Massy Foundation (Guyana) and is intended to promote food production, skills development and rehabilitation, equipping women with knowledge they can apply after their release.

Pearson Burch-Smith, President of the Rotary Club of Garden City, acknowledged that the flourishing crops on display were not the first to be planted in the tunnel. Problems beneath the soil had affected the initial planting, prompting the club to seek expert guidance from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).