GREENLIGHT Guyana Inc., a New York- based not-for-profit organisation, with its mandate to respond to the educational and welfare needs of nursery and primary schools of three catchment areas in West Bank Demerara, Region 3, recently honoured 24 students transitioning from primary to secondary schools in West Demerara.
The auspicious occasion, held at the Nismes Primary School, was organised by Executive Director of Greenlight Guyana Inc, Ms. Salome Osborne who conceptualised and launched the idea of the noble humanitarian thrust some fourteen years ago. Also representing the donor organisation at the function was Mr. Allan Robertson from New York.
Meanwhile, among the locals present were Chairperson, Ms. Hazel Wilson of Bagotville Primary School; Headmistress of Bagotville Primary, along with a Peace Corps Volunteer; parents, guardians and siblings of those being honoured.
Osborne who is originally from Bagotsville, but resides in New York, has always had the interest of the children at heart, and began by making yearly distributions of school uniforms, backpacks, books and related supplies to the hundreds of pupils of Bagotville, Nismes and La Retraite Nursery and Primary Schools.
THE VISION
The vision came about when on one of her visits home, she observed that well into the second week of the September term, there were school children walking the streets and not at school during school hours. On enquiring she was told by their parents that they had no school uniforms to wear. Deeply moved by their predicament, she thought there was something she could do, and on returning to New York, set about mobilising help for the initiative she had conceptualised. The distributions began around 2001.
A seed planted
The school uniform initiative which began in 2001 was virtually a seed planted on fertile soil, and with constant watering and harnessing, has blossomed and developed into products of which the parents and people of West Demerara, as well as Greenlight Guyana Inc. can be justly proud.
With an abiding interest in the children and project, Osborne and other representatives of Greenlight Guyana Inc. travel to Guyana every year to ensure distributions during the August holidays.
Just knowing that others cared, made them feel good about themselves, and they in turn responded in appropriate ways.
Make reading a priority
Throughout her visits, Osborne encouraged the children to place a high premium on going to school and to ensure they read every day. “Children I implore you, go to school every school day and make reading a priority,” she would urge them.
As an incentive to good performance, Osborne made a commitment to the children that those, who qualify for top secondary schools in Georgetown at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) she would personally finance their education through secondary school.
No child from the three secondary schools sponsored by Greenlight Guyana Inc. has so far qualified for top schools in Georgetown, but this year, two children qualified for the top secondary school in West Demerara – the West Demerara Secondary School. Twenty-two others have been placed in other recognised secondary schools within the region.
The celebration
In order to offer the two students incentives for their efforts, Osborne made personal cash donations to them – Josarah Benn of Bagotville Primary who emerged the best graduating student and Ashanti Browne of Nismes Primary School who was second best graduating student. She too, was awarded West Demerara Secondary School. The top graduating boy was Ezekiel Goppy of Nismes Primary and he was awarded a place at Patentia Secondary School.
Robertson who accompanied Osborne for the celebration also made personal cash donations to Benn and Browne.
The other 22 top performers were placed as follows: Patentia Secondary – 4; La Venture 6; Vreed-en-Hoop 4; La Venture Annexe 7 and La Grange Primary Top 1.
There were 15 girls, representing 63 per cent of the group recognised and 9 boys, 37 per cent of the top passes.
The students thanked the officials of Greenlight, their parents and teachers for their support throughout the seven years as they prepared them for that significant examination.
Osborne offered them words of encouragement and signalled that they would be in a new environment, hence they need to be prepared: “You have to now come out of your comfort zone, and be prepared to work hard. You need to be focused,” she emphasised.
Unfortunately, with the global economic crisis, it became increasingly difficult to muster resources from donors to continue the uniform distribution programme way beyond 2008. However, Greenlight embarked on a School Feeding Programme, whereby students of Nismes Primary School were provided with a hot meal three days per week. Efforts are currently being made to strengthen the programme.
Meanwhile, in 2010, Osborne, former student of Cambridge Academy, Georgetown, was honoured by the Cambridge Academy Alumni Association International (CAAAI) for outstanding community service.
Oborne on that occasion was conferred with the prestigious Robert A. Pinkerton Award on July 10, 2010, when the body held its reunion at the Glen Terrace Banquet Facility in Brooklyn, New York. The occasion was held under the theme: ‘Giving Back and Honouring a Worthy Tradition.’
Mr. Robert A. Pinkerton was Founder-Principal of the privately-owned Cambridge Academy, formerly located in South Road, Georgetown.
The letter informing Osborne of her selection as an honoree, signed by the association’s President, Dr. Aubrey Bentham said, in part: “It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the Cambridge Academy Alumni Association International (CAAAI), to inform you that you have been selected as one of two recipients of the Robert A. Pinkerton Award for Community Service.”
