By Gibron Rahim
A COUNTRY needs a strong and healthy population in order to develop. This is not just in terms of physical health and wellness, but also psychological and social health. The importance of a holistic approach to health and well-being cannot be overemphasised. It is this approach that ‘Live ProActive’ continues to utilise as it works toward helping to build a healthier Guyana.

The Pepperpot Magazine spoke to Keiba Murray, Founder and Co-Leader of the Live ProActive Club, who noted that the club has done work with some major clients over the last year. She could not disclose their names for the sake of confidentiality, noting that some of the work involved counselling and was thus very sensitive. Additionally, Live ProActive was an official partner in GTT’s Pinktober campaign, conducting the warm down session for the annual walk last October, as well as a week of free activities open to the public for the week leading up to the event. They were also recently a part of a walk for World Health Day 2019 on April 7. Yoga, self-defence and a few other items were part of Live ProActive’s contribution on that day.

This year, Live ProActive will be working with the Miss World Guyana Organisation. Murray related that, once the winner is crowned, Live ProActive will work with her from the period of time she is crowned locally to when she proceeds to the international stage. “We will be helping her with things like time management,” she said. Miss World Guyana will also be part of a financial course, as well as receiving training in professionalism and dance classes in merengue, salsa and several other dances. “When she comes back we will work with her again,” Murray stated. The aim at that time will be helping her transition smoothly back to everyday life.

Live ProActive is aiming to get more corporations on board, according to Murray. “Because I think this is definitely needed,” she said, referring to the work the group is doing. “I’m looking to send proposals out to people.” She noted that workplace stress has increased over the last few years. “It’s something that’s definitely on the rise and stress-management programmes would definitely need to be implemented by a lot of the employers,” she said emphatically. “We’re working to see how best we can work along with them on affordable packages that will help them to get on board and get their employees looking at holistic wellness.” She emphasised, “It’s really a holistic look that is necessary, as opposed to one specific area.”

Murray pointed out that a holistic approach to health and wellness is extremely important. “What we are accustomed to in Guyana, when we think of wellness or well-being we think of nutrition and exercise,” she related. “But it’s more than that, it’s a lifestyle that we’re trying to help people to develop and it’s about consistency.” While she said that body nutrition is a part of it, the emphasis is also on nourishing the self mentally and socially. “Because if we look at one area, it tends to not do justice to the others.” She explained, “That’s the essence of what we’re looking at – to get people to think about wellness in totality.” She added that financial, social, psychological, occupational and environmental wellness are as important as physical wellness which is nutrition and exercise.

A holistic approach to wellness will become even more important as Guyana moves toward having a green economy, according to Murray. It makes no sense, she said, to put the right infrastructure in place in the country if the people are not also being motivated or empowered to function in a capacity that will enrich our society.
The state of mental health in Guyana is definitely an area of concern. Murray noted that Live ProActive, as its name suggests, takes a proactive approach toward mental wellness.

“It’s not about waiting until people get to the stage where they need a psychologist,” she said. She related that Live ProActive’s aim is to get people to be proactive in looking at their lives and their well-being. “That’s why we’re reaching out to businesses and individuals to look at these things now,” Murray stated. “We are putting systems in place prior to the breaking point; prior to it getting to a stage where you have that breakdown or, you have that depressive state and you can’t function.” She noted that employers also need to have an active human resources department that is on the lookout for employees who may be in need of help.

Live ProActive’s programmes are not just for adults, children are also included. The kids’ wellness package is offered during the August holidays, when children are out of school. Murray related that last year they took aspects from Live ProActive’s existing programme to create a programme tailored for children. She noted that the hope is to do the same this year. She recalled that last year a social worker came to talk to the children about their emotions and managing them. There was also a financial wellness session where piggy banks were distributed and the children learnt about managing money and making investments, putting it in terms that they could understand. The children were also given their own seedlings to grow, which was an exciting experience for them, she said. “It was a really great programme and we’re looking to do it this August again and hopefully with more kids.”

Live ProActive is definitely still on the rise. Murray is a nominee for the 40 Under 40 Award set for April 25. It is also notable that Live ProActive is one of the United Nations’ Official Partners on Sustainable Development Goals. As it relates to what the future holds for the group, Murray noted that they are looking to expand and build a headquarters. “We’re hoping to be able to build and have a home,” Murray said. “We want to have a centre where we have all our activities under one place.”
Live ProActive can be contacted at 647-3925/658-0024, via email at iliveproactive@gmail.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/iliveproactive.