Georgetown: Just over one year old, the Guyana Foundation is rapidly moving ahead with its work to transform the lives, and communities, of people across Guyana.
The nonprofit trust has continued to establish and build upon existing partnerships with groups and professionals from all corners of the globe, in keeping with its mission “to release the power of people globally to assist Guyanese to transform their communities, bring fulfillment and well-being to their families, enabling them to build relations of trust and friendship among themselves irrespective of race and beliefs.”
In March this year, the Foundation partnered with Dr. Latchman Narain, a family therapist from Canada, to conduct two mental health training workshops in Guyana. Then in May, it hosted Serena Coultress, a mental health researcher from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, as she conducted a research study into the factors behind the high suicide rate in Guyana. Her findings will be made available to the public, and will shape and drive initiatives to tackle the local suicide crisis.
Recently, the Foundation’s Founder, Mrs. Supriya Singh-Bodden, travelled to several countries in Europe, where she had great success in sharing the work and vision of the Foundation with numerous potential partners.
More professionals are expected to travel to Guyana later this year, including a Canadian filmmaker, motivational speakers, photographers, and other mental health professionals. And with continuing support from generous donors both locally and internationally, and an expanding volunteer base, the Foundation has developed an exciting array of programs for the remainder of the year.
This will add to the list of projects that have already been completed – in a broad geographic area, ranging from Wauna and Santa Rosa in Region One, Meten-Meer-Zorg, Georgetown, Pigeon Island, and Breezy Point, in Demerara, to Manchester, Blairmont/Ithaca and the Upper Corentyne areas in Berbice.
Over the past few weeks, the Foundation continued to support programs in the area of literacy, with donations made to two organizations conducting afterschool programs for vulnerable children.
In May, the Foundation’s team handed over backpacks and school supplies to children in the Agape Network’s afterschool program in Sophia, Greater Georgetown. And in June, a quantity of children’s storybooks were handed over to the Youths in Unison youth group, based at the Roadside Baptist Church Skills Training Centre in Berbice. These books are currently used in 100 after-school reading and writing sessions being conducted in 10 different areas on the Upper Corentyne. At the completion of the program, the books will be distributed to the students.
According to the President of the Youths in Unison group, Rebekah Timram, this donation will “allow the youth group to continue its mission of assisting slow learners and school dropouts with basic reading and writing skills within the Upper Corentyne Area.”
With no end in sight to the mental health crisis in Guyana, and no let-up to the high suicide rate in the country, the Foundation has developed a vigorous program of activities as it continues its mental health sensitization and awareness campaign.
Because the needs in this area are so great, an action plan was developed with input from representatives of various NGOs, religious leaders, and social workers, and is currently being implemented. The list of planned activities includes a mental health bumper sticker campaign, the distribution of mental health pamphlets across the country, and an essay competition that will be launched during the new school term. A unique, multi-day mental health event is also planned for October (Mental Health month), and will be unveiled during the coming weeks.
The Foundation has been very fortunate to meet several overseas-based groups that are interested in partnerships in the area of mental health. Two weeks ago, discussions were held with representatives of the Queens Health Outreach, a student-run NGO at Queens University in Canada, which is dedicated to promoting health through needs-based peer-education initiatives. Plans are being developed for partnerships with this group, as well as with several other North American-based mental health entities.
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