GUYANA — The HEART Initiative is continuing to provide support to those affected by the MV Barima tragedy, extending its work from immediate assistance in the aftermath to longer-term care for survivors and bereaved families.
As of Thursday, August 13, 2026, the initiative said it was supporting survivors, grieving parents and children returning to classrooms as they navigate the emotional and practical difficulties that have followed the tragedy.
A representative of the initiative described the work as building a structure of support around those affected rather than responding to a single moment of crisis. “Reaching out to families, survivors, children, and making sure that there’s an ecosystem that we’ve built, understanding the loss, the pain, the grief, and we continue to do that every day,” the representative said.
Contact with families is maintained in whatever form each family needs. “Whether it’s by telephone, whether it’s in person, whether it’s a spiritual support they need, we’re all here to do exactly that,” the representative said, adding that the initiative has been working “to make sure that whatever their needs are, they know they’re not alone.”
Particular attention is being given to children who are returning to school, and to how they will be supported once they are back in the classroom. The initiative is also seeking to connect bereaved parents with others who have suffered a similar loss, so that grieving mothers and fathers are put in contact with people who understand what they are facing.
The representative appealed to the wider public to keep the affected families in their prayers and to extend support to them.
HEART — which stands for hope, empathy, aid, resilience and trust — is focused on maintaining contact with affected families and ensuring they retain access to support. The initiative forms part of the broader response to the tragedy, with emphasis placed on the long-term wellbeing and recovery of those affected.
Watch the full report on LRTVS Channel 10.
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