…promoting women empowerment

Since being crowned Mrs. India Guyana in September, 2016, Samantha Singh has used her platform to further her advocacy of women’s rights and empowerment, and says that her work in this area will extend beyond her reign, as these are issues that she is passionate about.

Samantha has been working with several charities and NGOs in the form of donations and outreaches, and though her activity log may seem quiet to most, she ensures that she has been active. “Much of my work is done without media attention because to me, charity is from the heart, not in front of the cameras, but my work will continue, in fact I have a lot of plans that I believe can help empower Guyanese women,” Samantha said. The reigning Mrs. India said that empowering women is not about titles, but it is about having the vision to create a legacy, to not only set goals but to work toward achieving them regardless of their position.

She added that she hopes that as women strive toward achieving equality, that they stay focused and united, as this is the only way it can be done. “I just hope we as women can stick to the plan and support the cause because as women we may all be different but we have similar stories that can help to inspire or even change each other’s lives. What enticed me about holding the title as Mrs. India Guyana was that it not only celebrates the Indian woman but also women who are married yet independent, and this helps to give a platform that can change the narrative that women can have families and husbands and still make a difference,” she said.

But it is indeed gratifying to see the strides that women have made in achieving equality over the years, Samantha said, and these strides have helped to change the definition of traditional gender roles. “Today, we have a voice; we have access to education, we can be bosses building empires. We couldn’t have made it this far without the women who tirelessly fought for a place at the head table. We broke a lot of stereotypes but I believe we still have a long fight ahead of us,” she said.

Samantha, who herself is the owner of ‘Cellular Plus’, an authorised Digicel Dealer which has several branches, is proud to be one of those women bosses. What is more, she believes that it is moves like these that are also helping to shape the image of the modern, Indo-Guyanese woman. “More and more, we are breaking the barrier from being the silent housewife, forbidden from any form of education, just being the bearer of children. Now we have jobs, we own businesses, we have our Masters, we are wearing suits and holding positions that were once foreign to the “traditional Indian woman”, and women on the whole can also attest to these changes in stereotypes,” she said.

Looking forward, Samantha wishes to see specific milestones achieved for women in Guyana; these milestones will signal that the country is moving in the right direction with regard to women’s rights. “I want to hear women being called Leaders, not “women leaders”, I’d like to see Guyana have its first female President, I want to see more women uniting in the continued fight for the rights of every girl child. I want to see more women rise up from the oppression that society has placed on us. I want to see women staying true to their values and trusting their abilities and I want to see more women as bosses of their empires,” she said.

The key is for women to envision what it really means to be a 21st century women, Samantha says, keeping in mind the tenets of being bold, being modern and speaking up for our rights. “Every woman must believe in herself and her abilities; don’t tread on familiar territories. And know that no one can make you feel inferior without your consent,” she said. Samantha believes that once women stand up for themselves, then nothing can hold them back.

Samantha is also currently working on her first workshop titled “Fight like a Girl” which will focus on confidence building and self-defense.