-Plaisance Girl Guides Association celebrates women in style

IN a world dominated by unrealistic beauty standards, young girls often struggle to find a place in society since they do not fit these ridiculous “norms”.

In the eyes of one girl, the Girl Guides Association is composed of warm-hearted ladies who make you feel worthy and encourage you to study, lead, and speak up, even when you are feeling low.
The association is the oldest organisation in the country devoted to the social advancement and wellness of girls and young women.

The voluntary organisation, registered in 1924, continues operating through small units.

The Girl Guides branch in the Plaisance community held an event on March 18 at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church to celebrate International Women’s Day and pay homage to all those who came before them and paved the way.

The annual gathering draws girls from as far as Melanie, East Coast Demerara , to bond with fellow members, according to June Halley, the programme’s co-ordinator and a lifelong association member.

In an exclusive interview with the Pepperpot Magazine, Halley explained that even though it was past International Women’s Day, she insisted that they set a later date because she wanted all of the girls to participate.

She further affirmed that the event was aimed at “celebrating women who would’ve blazed the trail and left a legacy for others to follow.”

As the day gave way to night, girls and women from all walks of life forged ever-lasting friendships through discussions such as “how do you know you love yourself?”
Moreover, they were serenaded by musical renditions from the GBTI/Buxton Steel Orchestra.

Kicking off the program with a fashion show, several of the girls featured the development of fashion trends throughout the decades.

Additionally, an 11-year-old Brownie (girl guides members between the ages of 7 and 11), supported by a guide (girl guides members aged 11-15) performed the poem, Phenomenal Woman by the renowned Maya Angelou.

As the programme progressed, the girls and women started to voice some of their thoughts, not only on the subject of International Women’s day but also on life, in general.

In fact, 16-year-old Natalya stated that she has high hopes of succeeding at the “CSEC examinations”; in light of this; the rest of the members applauded her.

Although all of the girls had different reasons why they loved being a part of the organisation, there was one recurring sentiment of love and guidance.

For instance, Tamia Abrams, one of the younger girls, said that she loves being a member of the association because she gets to “bond with girls just like herself.”

A Safe Space for All
There was a dire need for an atmosphere of security for girls and young women in Plaisance, according to Halley, and for them to attain their true potential; the Girl Guides in that unit was created.

She continued by saying that although many of the girls who join the association do well in school, they frequently have difficulty with their social skills, so the organisation provides the necessary tools they need to flourish into fully-rounded individuals.

Halley frequently hosts meetings to discuss important topics in this society, sometimes in conjunction with other senior and experienced members.

“A lot of these girls come into the organisation with issues that are troubling them,” Ms. Halley said. These situations would plague them for a very long time, but she would foster sessions where she would address issues like physical, emotional, and verbal abuse in an amiable way. Also, some of the more seasoned members would offer these girls advice based on their experiences.

She noted that because of the support of other members, most of the girls could come out and speak up about the violence they had experienced. In some cases, even the mothers of these children are unaware of their daughter’s situation.

Additionally, there are camping trips and other outings that are specifically catered towards the girls.

Halley also stated that the organisation will continue to thrive and place the girls’ well-being first, for generations to come.