YBG begins mask distribution campaign across seven regions in Guyana
SOME 60 000 masks will be distributed to youngsters over the next few weeks as Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) continues to play its part in helping to quell the COVID-19 pandemic.
The leading basketball development body is targeting a whopping 30 groups, spanning seven regions across the country.
Co-founder of YBG, Chris Bowman, noted that the body is willing to facilitate the movement of masks to Regions One, Two and Eight, but are yet to identify local partnering groups.
The distribution, which started this week will target schools, NGOs and sports organisations.
Amongst the beneficiaries will be the basketball fraternity, the National Schools Basketball Festival (NSBF) participating schools, and some other community partners.
The 3-ply face masks were received as a gift from California to the Guyana Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in the United States.
YGB, which has the most structured schools’ basketball programmes in Guyana, noted through a release that public preventative guidelines should be followed.
“…With this donation, we are able to contribute to the efforts to combat this deadly virus in a meaningful way, as we remind all of our student-athletes of the necessity to wear a face mask, whenever in public or among other people, and to adhere to the public preventative guidelines as a vital new habit.”
In terms of basketball, the 2020 season of the NSBF was postponed indefinitely. Bowman is however cautiously optimistic of running off the event in March of 2021.
At the time, however, the objective of YBG is to assist in getting COVID-19 under control in Guyana.
“YBG is grateful for the opportunity to assist in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic that has to date taken over 40 precious lives and infected over 1 300 of our citizens.”