A tapestry of diversity, prosperity, and leadership
Embracing Unity in Diversity
THE village of Yarrowkabra embodies the rich tapestry that defines Guyana, with its diverse community living harmoniously. Yarrowkabra and neighbouring Hauraruni and Long Creek are home to diverse people. Most of Yarrowkabra’s villagers sought out the community as a respite from the chaos of living in the thick of things. As the years passed, however, they developed a sense of community. Yarrowkabra has cultivated a unique culture of togetherness, a collective spirit driven not by history or cultural similarities but by a profound love and respect for one another.
Being widely revered, respected and well-known in a community is crafted for years spent there. Often, people placed as community leaders are people of the soil, born and raised in the village. But there are very few instances where newcomers take up the mantle of community development. Meena Gill was born and raised in the village of Dora, also along the Linden Soesdyke Highway. Today, she has emerged as a champion for change in her village of Yarrowkabra. Meena has been tasked with being a representative for her community, as she holds the title of councilwoman with responsibilities for public relations for the village.
Meena has been instrumental in implementing schools, upgrading infrastructure and multiple collaborative efforts that have shaped the village. When she came to Yarrowkabra more than two decades ago from her family in Dora, she sought to give her children a better life than she had. Meena’s upbringing was difficult, but it equipped her with the skills, passion, and perseverance that she would later need in life. Reminiscing about her childhood as the eldest of nine, she shared, “I am the eldest of eight sisters and one brother. It was very challenging for my parents. My parents were farmers, and it was very hard because we were very poor.” Her journey from caring for her siblings at a young age to becoming a dedicated councilwoman exemplifies the resilience that defines Yarrowkabra’s leaders.
The weight of responsibilities is nothing new to Meena. As the eldest, she was tasked with caring for her siblings at a very young age. In many ways, a young Meena was carrying the weight of her family. This weight is also what caused her to drop out of school. Meena shared, “I had to come out of school at 10 to take care of the smaller ones. I had to send the smaller one and take care of the baby so that my parents could go and work.” Despite the adversities, Meena would take her education into her own hands; reading and educating herself during her spare time. “When I finished sending the smaller children to school, looking after the baby, cooking the lunch and tidying the home, I would take my books and sit and read,” said Meena.
At 20, Meena took her first steps out of the village of Dora as she spent time in Georgetown. Over the course of the next several years, Meena worked various jobs until she met her now husband. “My husband and I moved here twenty-three years ago to Yarrowkabra on the Linden Soesdyke Highway,” she stated. She explained that, like anyone starting a new life, the couple had humble beginnings in Yarrowkabra. She shared that, “We started small. We have two daughters. The eldest is 22 and a teacher. The youngest is seventeen plus.” Today, Meena is proud of her family and the life she and her husband were able to give to their children. For most of her time in Yarrowkabra, Meena has occupied herself with her church and supermarket. A few years ago, however, the community felt she had a different calling and she was elected to Yarrowkabra’s council.
In every corner of the world, there are traces of cultural disunity. Yarrowkabra was no different several years ago, having faced its challenges. Time, however, has seen the council putting their differences aside for the greater good of their village. “It was challenging in the NDC for the last four years,” Meena shared. Fighting against the political and unrest that threatened to damage the community, the new council has taken a different approach in dealing with the issues presented to them. “When we work in the neighbourhood democratic council, we work for the people. We never worked politically in the NDC. We came together and worked together.”
With Yarrowkabra’s leaders working together and leading truly by example, the community has seen countless changes. Yarrowkabra’s council hopes to foster continued growth in their community by considering their citizens and carefully allocating funds received by the committee. “We got 13 roads in Yarrowkabra. We have gotten tanks for some areas that did not have water. We have a new pump back at the pump station,” Meena shared. Yarrowkabra had certainly come a long way from the farming village on the side of the highway. Today, it is one of the region’s largest communities, with a steadily rising population. It is equipped with schools, shops, businesses and a health centre. Yarrowkabra is a pristine village that puts the values of what it means to be a community to the forefront; it is poised for greatness.
