A LEADERSHIP session was successfully hosted at the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) for student occupants of the Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast correctional institution. On the evening of June 14, a bonfire was lit as the BD1 Leadership Development Initiative ended a three – day leadership seminar at the institution, during the period May 27 to 30.
Founder of the initiative, Astell Collins, and his twin brother Allister, Chairperson of the Guyana Faith and HIV Coalition joined students, members of the disciplined services, regional education officers, technical institute, regional hospital, pastors and other community members in celebration with singing, dancing and worshipping.
Astell Collins, who was bestowed the IKUSASA Young Person of the Year Award last year June, for his influential role as a non-citizen of South Africa, was given the green light to conduct the sessions after discussions with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony.
Activities were subsequently staged at the Sophia Training Centre, the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) programme, and a leadership address at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre (KKTC) on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.
The initiative at the NOC involved student participation in physical education, sprucing up of the centre and its environs, group discussions with students and facilitators, and cultural theatrical presentations by the students, among other activities.
It was followed by a second phase that included an environmental improvement drive which communicated to the students a sense of self-respect and pride in their surroundings.
Two months ago, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) presented the institution with a new 15- seater bus in the ongoing effort to improve the 134- year old institution which has been improving its image under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
Those who enter the institution as adolescent offenders and wanderers learn vocational skills in the areas of electrical installation, handicraft, joinery, information technology, tailoring and garment making, welding and fabrication, carpentry and masonry.

A few have achieved up to eight subjects at the CXC and there have been efforts to reintegrate them into the family setting.
Judging from the feedback by participants who attended the recent seminars, the facilitators were assured that the session marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the NOC.
At the culmination, they expressed their appreciation to Assistant Director for the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme (YEST) Devanand Ramdatt, the administrative staff at the NOC, and Commodore Gary Best, Chief of Staff for the Guyana Defence Force, for their support.
The Collins brothers said that one of their guiding principles is that, “People don’t care how much you know before they know how much you care”.
Upon his return from South Africa, the BD1 Leadership Development Initiative founder had met President Donald Ramotar in February this year, in a high spirit of patriotism about giving back to the place of his birth before considering any invitation abroad.
He served for four years in South Africa, facilitating leadership development seminars, conferences and workshops throughout that nation. These included government institutions, corporations, universities, schools, religious groups and various youth organisations. (GINA)