IN 2018, Roxanne Hermanstyne, a certified pharmacist and military spouse, took a bold step towards a brighter future for Guyana by forming the Blueprint Foundation.
Born and raised in Guyana, Roxanne’s deep-rooted connection to her homeland led her to establish the foundation with a primary mission of enhancing healthcare, education, and access to resources in the country’s remote and underserved areas.
The Blueprint Foundation, formerly known as the Benin Foundation, has been working diligently for the past five years to make a positive impact in communities across Guyana. Their commitment to helping people in need remains unwavering.
On November 5, the Blueprint Foundation is set to host a 5K walk and run event in the village of Victoria, East Coast Demerara.
This initiative serves a dual purpose: raising awareness of the importance of physical activity for health and providing free health screenings to local residents.
Roxanne explained, “On November 5, we will have a walk, run health and wellness fair at the Victoria ground. The purpose of this is to drive home the importance of physical activity and also to provide free screenings for the people of the villages.”
This event is just the first of three community outreaches planned by the foundation. The next outreach will be held in the village of Kwakwani, focusing primarily on healthcare worker training.
Roxanne elaborated, “It will not have the 5K walk. It will focus on the healthcare portion of it. But we have an extra piece for the employees, where we will be teaching them a basic life support course. We have an instructor that will be facilitating that course. We have also brought in the materials, such as mannequins and portable mouthpieces, to help the employees get hands-on training.”
While the Blueprint Foundation is not based in Guyana, its inspiration comes from Roxanne’s personal experience of witnessing her aunt’s battle to access healthcare after being diagnosed with cancer. This heartfelt concern became the driving force behind the formation of the Blueprint Foundation.
Roxanne explained, “I formed the Blueprint Foundation in November of 2018. The reason why I formed the group is that my aunt had been diagnosed with cancer back in 2018, and I felt as though she did not have access to resources at the time. That’s the reason why I formed the group.”
Over the past five years, the Blueprint organisation has made a significant impact on various parts of Guyana. The foundation has actively partnered with various organisations and secured sponsorships to support their cause. One of their recent outreaches was at a church on Thomas Street.
Looking ahead, the Blueprint Foundation has ambitious goals that include health sensitisation and increasing digital literacy in remote areas of Guyana. Roxanne emphasised, “My goal is to be able to reach more people and to promote the importance of health as well as physical activity; and also enhancing the education standpoint, the digital literacy in the remote places in Guyana.”
Above all, Roxanne’s driving force remains rooted in her mission for change.
She noted, “I wanted to be the change, to be able to reach places that are remote and lack access to resources. They should have the same quality of care in those areas. My motivation is just to know that the work I am putting into the organisation someday will eventually be able to reach the most rural and remote areas where care should not be an obstacle. They should have equality of care and equality of educational resources. My mission behind it is knowing that I am changing a life, even if it is one life at a time.”
The Blueprint Foundation’s unwavering dedication to improving healthcare, education, and resources in Guyana’s underserved communities stands as a testament to the power of individual initiative and the potential for positive change in remote areas.
As they continue their mission, the Blueprint Foundation serves as an inspiring example of grassroots efforts that can bring transformative benefits to those who need it most.
