What matters to her is being of assistance to others

GROWING up, she entertained the idea of being a lawyer as she always wanted to be of assistance to others, but after doing a course in psychology in Sixth Form, she found she was more interested in public health and social justice issues.This new-found interest, though, also facilitated her original desire to help others. It led to her being the current Programme’s Director of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA).

Meet 26-year-old Renuka Naina Anandjit, who was born and raised at Annandale, on the East Coast Demerara, a village she described as very close to her heart. Born to parents Davteerth and Indira, Renuka completed her nursery, primary and secondary education in Annandale.
She did Sixth Form studies at Bishops’ High and then pressed on to the University of Guyana (UG) where she secured a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work. She took up her post at GRPA last July but previously, worked at the Society against Sexual Orientation and Discrimination (SASOD), Merundoi Incorporated as a Reinforcement Officer and at the US Peace Corp as a Training Coordinator. Renuka also volunteered with Youth Challenge Guyana as a peer educator and is a member of the Guyana Sex Worker Coalition.

At GRPA, Renuka manages the Programme’s Department where she coordinates many community outreaches and sensitisation work. As part of a team, she also goes out into various communities to work along with youth groups and several others. “We find ways in creatively reaching those groups,” she told the Chronicle in an interview.

The Switch
Recalling how her original interest was in becoming a lawyer, Renuka said: “I really enjoyed the idea of being a lawyer and helping persons. But when I did Sixth Form, I did a course in psychology and I really enjoyed it and I thought this was going to be a good field to get into. UG doesn’t offer psychology so social work was the closest thing to it and so I did it.”
During her time at UG, Renuka joined Youth Challenge Guyana as a peer educator.
“Just going out and working with people in the communities made an impact on me. So that’s where I got interested in public health and social justice issues. That’s how I landed here. It was a bit of a switch but I was still working with people and helping them in a different sense,” she expressed.
“I don’t look at it as me helping people and saving the world; I just look at it as trying to improve the situation and improve the environment for persons to really grow and develop,” she continued.
Renuka finds great satisfaction in her work presently and expressed how much she loves and enjoys her job. “Knowing at the end of the day that you are still making some kind of impact, whether small or large, definitely does make an impact and fuels your drive and fuse the passion to know that you can empower persons.”
Asked where she sees herself in the years to come, Renuka said she would still very much be working in the social justice area. “I really like to work with the population that is disenfranchised and marginalised. So I think I will stay in this area but I really want to do some more focused work with women.”
Renuka enjoys a fun-filled life and deeply appreciates a sense of humour. She is also very open-minded. “Being open gives you an opportunity to understand persons and helps you look at things from different perspectives. I try to think outside the box and not confine myself to spaces or draw lines where thinking is concerned,” she said.

(By Telesha Ramnarine)