SEVERAL of the more than 100 women who recently completed life skills courses that were organised by Humanitarian Mission are encouraging other women to sign up for the training so that they can become a better version of themselves.

A participant from New Amsterdam said that her three months of “cake class” was enjoyable because of the teachers and the other women by which she was surrounded. She said that when she first started the course, she had no idea how to ice a cake or cupcake, or even make pastries, but now she can continue practising at home and soon enough, she will be able to open her own business and have an income. The participant said that she was grateful for the course.

Another participant from that class is from Lancaster village. She said that she would encourage other women to join the classes that are available because it has helped her to elevate herself and it can elevate others as well. She said that the cake class is not expensive and it does provide a better future.

She said she is now going into an advanced class and urges women to join the basic class, so they too can be in the advanced class later on.

Eleima Ramdial, who completed a makeup course, said it was very affordable.

“I would like to encourage other women to come and participate in the different courses here. It’s very affordable and the administration and the teachers are very kind. My makeup teacher, she’s a very kind, caring and talented teacher,” she said.

The participant thanked the founder, Suresh Sugrim, for the opportunity.

The Humanitarian Mission Inc. (H.M.I) Guyana came into being in August 2005. The non-governmental organisation (NGO) is situated in Babu Jaan in Ankerville, Port Mourant, East Berbice-Corentyne.

The training centre was commissioned on August 9, 2015, with the sole purpose of educating, empowering and elevating individuals through life skills education.

According to Sugrim, over the past seven years, H.M.I has been making remarkable inroads as more than 4,000 people have benefitted from different types of skills training, with many becoming entrepreneurs in their communities and others becoming more marketable and earning more to support their families.

Having seen what their peers were able to achieve, more people had been flocking to the H.M.I headquarters to sign up for vocational classes. Some of the classes offered are electrical repairs or installation, electronics, food preparation, cake decoration and sewing at both the basic and advanced levels, information technology, cosmetology, and food handling, among others.

Classes are being offered at a minimal cost which covers the expense of materials used and provides a stipend for the facilitator or lecturer.

“Moreover, the organisation partners with other NGOs and government agencies regularly in hosting health outreaches. There are programmes that involve food hampers distribution to persons with disabilities, [who are] bedridden and shut-ins; provide counselling, and host workshops that aim to combat social ills,” Sugrim said.