By Marissa V. Foster

ABEENA Gomes lives unapologetically as a creative and tech enthusiast. She is a 21-year-old country girl who still enjoys learning new things and exploring. You’d usually find her either on a tech device or travelling somewhere. She is quite passionate about self-expression and would always encourage others to step into their light. She was afforded a lot of academic and cultural opportunities growing up and is grateful now to be in a position to help others get that very exposure. This innovator has been developing ways to change the outlook of small businesses in Guyana. She shared that, “My gift to the world is my creativity and empathy so I’ve used these skills to share my story and evoke change through ASG Solutions [Marketing Consultanc], Shine Your Light Initiative [Youth Programme] & Shine Your Light Radio [Podcast].”

Her academic and creative accomplishments started from as early as nursery school. She was always able to maintain good grades while also developing her creative skills. When she wasn’t on stage performing drama, she’d be focused on a book of interest studying for school. She was able to attend Queen’s College and is currently completing an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science at the University of Guyana with plans to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. While education is of much importance to her, she still finds time to lend her voice to change through Volunteering with groups like Youth Action Network, Girl Build Girl Foundation and of course, the Shine Your Light Initiative.

Abeena described the Shine Your Light Initiative as being among her greatest accomplishments. At the end of the day, her legacy is really what’s most important and people should be able to say that they connected with the most authentic version of who she is and not just the girl that excels academically. Like every young innovate woman, she faced many challenges along the road. She said, “I think the biggest challenge was getting out of my own head and just taking the leap. Before I started the Shine Your Light Initiative, I found every reason not to do it, because I was considering a lot of ‘what ifs’ and one day I was just like, you know what – I’m going to do it.” As soon as she made that decision and started to implement the plans; everything else just fell into place.

Having a heart filled with gratitude is what truly made her journey easier. The same can be said for her small business; ASG Solutions. Gomes had to accept that as a small business owner, it would take some time to build and expand on clients. That fact did not deter her as she is learning that consistency reaps rewards. Small business owners are blossoming all over Guyana, she believes. The financial independence and idea of showcasing one’s creativity inspires young Guyanese to dive into this realm. However, Abeena also believes there are some challenges for budding entrepreneurs that we do not shed light on. She stressed that “Beyond the financial aspect, a lot of them are not even sure how to register a business and more so how to market their brand/products.” In contrast, her contribution to help with that problem is ASG Solutions. She uses her experiences in the fields of Marketing and Information Technology to help others develop their unique brands. Her business helps to connect with their niche to guarantee a return on investment, without making them spend a lot while trying to get the knowledge and/or service.

She believes that many organisations are doing a fantastic job at championing change in varying ways. But how will hers stand out? Well, Shine Your Light, is an initiative headed Gomes and it takes a different approach from other groups. It focuses on the person to equip them with the knowledge to better solve their problems. The programme encompasses training on the mind, body and spirit so once you attend the sessions you learn about yourself holistically and you can then share your knowledge in your household, community and respective spaces. It is quite similar to a domino effect. When one person shines their light or benefits from the programme, they know that they’re igniting the flame in at least 10 other people they’ll interact with. Likewise, Abeena hopes that her light can inspire others to shine.