Living Water aids vulnerable, migrants during 2022

Rhonda Maingot, founder and director of the Living Water Community (LWC), praised the teamwork between different organisations that contributed to its covid19 relief efforts, and supported the community of migrants and refugees.

She spoke at the LWC end-of-year reception on Wednesday night at Mille Fleurs, Port of Spain, organised by its Migrant and Refugee Ministry.

Maingot said: "We are grateful to our donors this year, including UNHCR, Unicef, PADF (Pan American Development Foundation), Catholic Relief Services and others without whom we could not do what we do." She said they continue to place migrants and refugees at the centre of their work.

She recognised the work done by the LWC staff, especially the coordinator of the ministry, Rochelle Nakhid.

“I thank all of you, our stakeholders, for your support and commitment this year,” she said.

In the first ten months, LWC vaccinated over 1,000 adults against covid19 and sensitised people to relevant covid19 information.

"We also provide other necessary health and immunisation services to thousands more, provided intensive case-management services and counselling for the most vulnerable," Maingot said.

LWC also provided legal representation and information about their rights to more than 3,000 people; food and cash assistance to another 3,000; provided education to more than 1,000 children; and distributed more than 8,100 "surprise soaps" to children in both Trinidad and Tobago.

The event was attended by the Apostolic Nuncio, the Most Rev Santiago de Wit Guzman, representatives of the embassy of Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands, the European Union, Chile, Colombia, Germany, the US, Canada, France and the Dominican Republic; as well as representatives of the Ministry of National Security and other government ministries; and representatives of international organisations and civil society.