Guyana rolls out cash grant initiative for newborns

GEORGETOWN (DPI) – The Guyana government yesterday launched its Newborn Cash Grant initiative.

Under the programme, more than 2,000 newborns, born in Guyana to a Guyanese mother, will receive a GY$100,000 cash grant (approx. US$1 to GY$209), costing the treasury $1.3 billion annually. The funds will be provided retroactively to families with newborns born in January and February, 2025.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan said the initiative represents more than just financial assistance.

“Every child born in Guyana is not just a citizen. They are a vital thread in the fabric of our nation’s story. They are a shared treasure, entrusted to our collective care. The pressure of a newborn should not be that of their parents, but this is a collective responsibility and a collective care that we must demonstrate as a nation and as a people.”

President Ali said a system has been established whereby mothers will receive the grant before leaving the hospital in which they give birth.

In cases where deliveries take place outside of a hospital, systems will be in place to ensure that the grant is received within a week of birth.

“The future of our children is something we must intentionally invest in. This cash grant is not a privilege—it is a right, and it is a right that every child in Guyana is entitled to.”

The Newborn Cash Grant initiative is among a suite of measures implemented by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government since 2020.

It complements the $100,000 national cash grant, and the $50,000 Because We Care cash grant given to parents of school-age children. Other initiatives include the universal health vouchers, and the Spectacles programme that will ensure every child continues to receive support throughout their development.