FIVE final year Social Work and Environmental Studies students of the University of Guyana were assigned to complete a project for a final year course – Community Practice DSW 4104. The five students made a tremendous intervention in the lives of young girls in the Lusignan village. This idea was sparked from a house to house visit in the area.

Social Work students Padminie De Souza and Annaely Wilson Matheson and Environmental Studies students; Athena Lyttle, Antonio Phillips and Sabita Stephenson, explained that they were “fishing for ideas” but knew what they had wanted. It was not just to complete a project to get a grade at the end, but to make an impact and change lives.

Their initial plan was to do a project for stay at home moms but after they conducted a house to house consultation, they realised what was prevalent in the village was young girls at home doing nothing. Some dropped out of school, others completed, but did not have the necessary grades to secure a job, others because of teen pregnancy. It was after that discovery, the students realised that was where the impact was needed.

They conducted a five week programme with the young girls at the Lusignan- Good Hope Learning Centre which consisted of literacy sessions, motivational sessions, self-esteem building, a session was conducted on knowing and understanding their body by Dr. Faqueeda Watson and one on how to make table décor with recycled materials.

“What we discovered was that the girls in this area are very shy and have little confidence in themselves and their ability. And I got so very excited, not because of their little confidence, but to know that I can help in that regard and share my knowledge and experience so that they can better their lives and decisions they make,” Athena Lyttle said.
Padminie De Souza shared that she grew a very close bond with the girls in the programme and it thrills her heart to see the change they brought to the girls’ lives and she hopes that the fire they lit will not be dampened at the end of the programme.

The students also liaised with a teacher from the Lusignan Primary School to assist sixteen pupils that are not so privileged with back to school supplies. The hampers were generously donated by R. NandKumar, Resha Persaud and Kitana’s Travel.

“This has definitely released the inner humanitarian in me. I’ve come to love the impact we made so much that I am willing and ready to continue doing good deeds like these in other communities,” Antonio Phillips said.

Sabita Stephenson said that her involvement in this programme has definitely changed her life. To see the circumstances of other people made her intrigued to bring about change and touch as much lives as she can, she said. Annaely Wilson Matheson said she is proud and touched at what they were capable to do in just a few weeks.

In addition to the sessions, the girls received packages with personal hygiene items and house supplies and food items donated by Food for the Poor.

They were generously supported to execute this project by several other businesses such as Massy, S&S Supermarket, Specialized Timber Service, just to name a few, to provide young women in Lusignan with skills and packages to transform their lives.
This newspaper spoke with a number of the girls who have participated in the programme and they all were overwhelmed with what they would have achieved.
“Most of us, we all live on the same street and we don’t talk to each other. This programme made us build a lasting friendship that will definitely bring about change in our lives,” one of the participants said.

Another said, “A lot of the things we learn here we can take it with us for the rest of our lives. I personally, and I know some of the other girls too, we can start our own small business making some of the craft things we learnt to make and sell them back.”
“I didn’t even know I was this talented in making the things I made. Some of the designs I made up on my own and I feel very proud of myself to know that I have some talent,” another said.

“I feel like I can be an interior decorator now, I can start making money by making things to decorate people’s home,” one girl said.

“I would like to see more things like these happening in our community. I know there is so much more to learn and so many more girls around here to learn it, but our resources are limited. I wish more persons like these students can remember us and come and share their knowledge with us,” another girl related.

The UG students all expressed how proud they are of what they have achieved and this experience, with the joy and happiness they brought to these young lives. They said they will most definitely commit to continue doing outreach programmes like these in other communities to continue touching lives and making a difference.

They also added that the theoretical knowledge gained in their classroom served as guidance in the execution of the project and they are looking forward to learning more and using their knowledge to continue doing community interventions and bring about change in people’s lives.