– committed to the upliftment of their community

MOULDING the minds of learners is a great responsibility, and for Sheik Ahmad, the current headmaster of Sans Souci Secondary School, Wakenaam Island, Essequibo River, it is a task he takes seriously.

The school is a sprawling structure that is well kept and painted in pastel colours that complement the environment. It was established in 1968 and is still in very good condition.

Ahmad became a teacher in 1998 to fulfil his true calling to the noble profession and he is versed in Mathematics and business subjects. He came from a family tree of teachers.

His father was a former headmaster and his mother was also a teacher who later became a housewife and it was his father who motivated him to become an educator in the public school system.

Ahmad recalled that when he was in the city, completing his university studies, his father asked him to return home and contribute to his community by becoming a teacher.

Today, 24 years later, he is still there doing what he loves the most, preparing children for the future.

Ahmad’s teachings have produced a lot of top performers at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level, and it is just one of the many hats he wears as a resident and as a community-driven individual who is keen on development on the island.

The headteacher disclosed that in this changing world, they have adopted certain measures in school to ensure that those who are not academically inclined will also benefit from skills-training, since there is demand for such resources.

Ahmad oversees the work of 27 teachers at the Sans Souci Secondary School, the only such school on the island.

He told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is also a representative of the Wakenaam Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and he represents the people’s development needs and his door is always open to his fellow villagers.

As a listening ear, Ahmad added that he would often assist the people in whatever way he could through his office and as a person who understands the needs of the people residing on the island.

“Wakenaam is a paradise. The air is fresh and clean with no hint of pollution, a good place to be where we live as one with no racial undertones or bad vibes,” he said.

Ahmad added that he is also a cattle and plantain farmer and co-operates with his brother, the Chairman of the Wakenaam NDC, Sheikh Ahmad.

He is also a member of the masjid and a volunteer who participates in both religious, social and community work within Wakenaam.

Ahmad disclosed that he is the founder of the much-touted “Wakenaam Night,” which was hosted annually on the island.

“This place has produced a lot of people, who contribute to society and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and we are a hardworking people, one of the largest producers of plantains and coconuts,” he said.

Even though life on the island is fair, Ahmad believes that the produce should be converted into manufactured products to create employment and boost rural development.

He explained that they have a lot of land which can be used for milk and food-processing and with their large acreage of rice lands, it is a plus because they also produce milk, about 3000 gallons per month from the cows they rear.

Ahmad added that with all their produce they can have a good standard of living if their produce is turned into manufactured products, a win-win situation for all.

The educator related that the island needs a call centre and perhaps part-time jobs for housewives, who can contribute significantly to economic growth because if both parties in a household work, the possibilities are endless.

Ahmad added that at Wakenaam Island they live with a lot of love and compassion for each other, and it is a very safe place to settle, work off the land and live a good life. In the next 10 years, he is of the hope they can move from rural to an organised, self-sufficient state.

He noted that with agro-processing, there is a lot of potential and with that kind of investment, it will improve the lives of the locals.

“The people here are very cooperative, and we live in harmony because we are a large family and it is all about us here on the island and what we do to benefit all in totality. We don’t do things for our own benefit but for all, so the people here can be comfortable and have a good way of life,” he said.

Retired teacher and respected elder, Leila Mansarally
Aunty Leila, as she is fondly called, is a respected, well-known and loved elder in the community of Wakenaam and farther afield, having spent 40 years in the teaching profession in the public school system.

Leila Mansarally began her teaching career in 1962 and is a resident of Belle Plaine Village, Wakenaam Island.

“[In] my days as a teacher, [it] was a dignified profession which was met with a lot of respect and cooperation, and both teachers and parents had a good relationship. In those days, things were different, people were more open to suggestions, and an entire village raised a child. Today, it is not so. Back then, you learn something new every day and I enjoyed my years of teaching because it was good. People were more motivated,” she said.

She started teaching at Maria’s Pleasure then went to Anna Regina, Sans Souci, Fredericksburg, Windsor Forest, Arthurville, where she spent most of her teaching career at the primary level.

Mansarally told the Pepperpot Magazine that she went to in-service training as a teacher at Battery Road, Kingston, and it was an after-school exercise.

She was teaching at Dolphin’s Government School then and worked in the day and afternoons went to class until she was qualified as a teacher.

“I always wanted to become a nurse because I was quite taken [in] with the lily-white uniform and the starched cap, but after high school, being from a poor family, I took the first job I got due to economic circumstances,” she said.

Mansarally retired in 2000, but was re-appointed as the temporary headteacher at Sans Souci.

“I really like helping people, especially the less fortunate. I contributed to society via a free after-school programme to assist slow learners in reading. I did my part as a volunteer with many organisations, including church,” she said.

She was part of a cleaning group where they did community-based work at buildings and weeded and was part of the craft exhibitions to showcase the local talent.

Today, Mansarally is still active in church and the community, serving the people as the presiding elder at three branches of the Presbyterian Churches on the island.

She is part of the women’s group and is very engaged in fund-raising activities and the money is used to donate to hospitals and community outreaches in hamper distribution and monetary handing overs.

“Growing up here played a vital part in my rounded upbringing, and it made me into a complete person, who fosters community-based development,” she said.

Having taught three generations of learners, today, she is a household name, and as a mother of three and grandmother of four; she still performs counselling services free of charge and serves as a religious leader and elder in the community.

The 77-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that Wakenaam is home for her, and it is the place where she feels safe and comforted.

A place she can look at the sunset and sunrise daily in her quiet moments and reflect on life and future endeavours.