…Particular focus on young people and women

AMERICAN oil giant ExxonMobil said it had spent some $184M here on community groups and developmental projects as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programme. In another edition of the company’s ‘Access ExxonMobil Guyana’ public engagement, Public and Government Affairs Adviser, Kimberly Brassington said that the company had spent the money with particular focus going to young people and women.
“ExxonMobil has contributed millions of Guyana dollars to communities in Guyana by way of grants.” She said community development and sustenance of the environment had also been given attention in the programmes rolled out in different parts of the country.
According to the information provided by Exxon, residents in communities located in places like Leopold Street in Georgetown and Silver Sand, Waramuri Mission in Region One, are among organisations and institutions to have benefited from the programmes.
It was related that in Leopold Street, efforts were made during certain programmes to make the young people more competitive in seeking employment.

Modga Wills, part of the team to address the Leopold youths said that it was recognised that much assistance was not going to persons from that location and a decision was taken to contribute to the young people there.

She said even though some persons would have some amount of academic qualifications, they were finding it difficult to find jobs just because of their addresses.
Wills said youths were trained with the support of Exxon and taught different ways to compete within the particular market.

Silver Sand residents received an upgraded sports club ground courtesy of Exxon. President of the facility, Rowena Williams, said that the upgraded sport ground is much appreciated by the community since certain activities could not have taken place on the sand-covered location. Due to Exxon’s involvement, she said football, volleyball and cricket games can now be facilitated.

Some $17M has been invested by Exxon toward the development of a seed bank to protect locally cultivated plant generics and biodiversity in Region 9. Toshao Patrick Gomes said that the region had been looking for funding to support the project for some time until Exxon came to their assistance.

The project, he noted, was necessary as part of a mitigation programme to help reduce the negative impact of climate change on the region.
Over 2,000 youths have also benefited from Exxon’s support of the Youth Volunteer Corp’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programmes. Many of the young people are interested in the medical field and accounting among other areas The importance of STEM was explained to them, and they noted that every field of work in some way utilises an aspect of STEM.

Iwokrama International Centre was also a beneficiary of Exxon’s CSR initiatives, as part of the funding from the company went to the formation of an international science committee at the non-profit conservation organisation.

Chief Executive Officer Dane Gobin expressed gratitude for Exxon’s contribution and highlighted the agency’s eagerness to continue to work with the oil company.
Brassington said that Exxon Mobil was committed to Guyana. She said that the company would be in the country for decades and one of the ways it will be giving back to communities is through grants.