EPIC (Enhancing Potential to Inspire Change) Guyana, a local non-profit organisation (NGO), has recently awarded its second University of Guyana scholarship to Shineika Cort.

Cort, the first recipient of the Ronald Patrick Kum Scholarship, is pursuing a degree in Pharmacy. She is a former student of Central High School and completed CAPE at Queen’s College.

The scholarship was set up by Dr. Dawn Kum, who is the Director of Integrated Urban Solutions in Washington DC. She is an overseas-based Guyanese who chose to name the scholarship in honor of her father.

EPIC Executive Director Brian Backer has disclosed that the organisation wants the scholarship to become an annual award, and will be publishing the qualifying criteria so that from 2019, interested students can apply.
In relation to Cort, Backer said that her parents were unable to financially assist her to continue her education and EPIC stepped in to help.

Backer said EPIC’s only request is, that recipients of the scholarship give back some of their time and services to help with the programmes of the organisation.

The NGO works primarily to help children who have had law enforcement contact and are detained in the Juvenile Holding Centre at Sophia, Georgetown.

In late 2016, after realising that his reach was limited due to costs, Backer decided it was time to formalise his efforts to help the community and register as a non-governmental organisation (NGO), so as to increase capacity and give his many supporters a more visible platform.

“Initially, I stood all of the expenses; the support was just for family and friends. But it continued to grow and as we helped one family, they would introduce others to us and it started snowballing, so I found it necessary to seek external support so that we can continue to give this level of service,” Backer said.

As the impact of the community activities continued to grow, EPIC Guyana was registered and its scope of work began to expand.