WHEN the team made its first trip to Paramakatoi, an indigenous community in Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni), it was stunned to see that the children all wore a string around their necks with a pencil tied to it. This was essentially to keep them from losing the one and only pencil that would have to take them throughout the term.
At this point, many of the selfless and hardworking young volunteers of The Georgetown Hub – Global Shapers, were convinced that their efforts to volunteer their time and energies were well worth it.

And so for six years now, the local group of 24 volunteers has been working to better the lives of youths across various parts of Guyana who may be disadvantaged in one way or another. Big on their agenda too are mental health issues, literacy and women’s empowerment.

Born out of the World Economic Forum, the Global Shapers Community is a network of inspiring young people under the age of 30 working together to address local, regional and global challenges. With approximately 10,000 members, the Global Shapers Community spans 400 city-based hubs in about 200 countries.
The current members overseeing the Global Shapers Guyana arm are Curator Leota King, Vice Curator Daryl Watson, and Outgoing Curator Richard Leo. It was founded by George Asafa, Rosh Khan, Hubert Forrester, Yaphet Jackman, Ryan Hoppie and Venus Persaud.

Leo, who is especially fond of working with people to help them develop themselves academically and otherwise, also joined the body because he saw it as a way to further develop himself.
He spoke to the Pepperpot Magazine recently about some of the work that the local arm of the organisation has put in since its establishment, including its signature ‘Headstart’ Project which was able to impact the lives of approximately 300 children in the outlying regions of the country.
“Current shapers are a diverse group of people coming from all walks of society and from all six races of Guyana, and the members include lawyers, investors, students, dentists, project officers and teachers. Our values are passion, integrity, service, cooperation and commitment,” expressed Leo.
According to him, it was those children who could not otherwise afford to attend school or acquire stationery that was helped under the ‘Headstart’ Project, which had its genesis at Paramakatoi.

“So every year we would give them a backpack with books and stationery. Now with the pandemic, we are trying to get tablets to Regions One and Nine.”

The ‘La Femme Force’ was another successful project that was undertaken that saw about 20 young women between the ages of 14 and 17 at the Sophia Foster Care Home benefitting. “Today, it has emerged into more of a mentorship with the females of the hub being role models,” Leo said.
Further, three literacy workshops have so far been conducted at the University of Guyana, in collaboration with its Economics Society with the aim of raising awareness of financial literacy, budgeting, investing in stocks and preparing young people for a bright future.
The Georgetown Hub also collaborates annually with the Blood Bank to host a donation drive. It also contributes to seawall and other cleaning, and other societal needs, such as road markings.
The team members would raise funds from activities they organise, and members themselves would contribute financially. They also reach out to local businesses for help.