Young volunteer launches Youth League Guyana

EARTHA Scott is a single mother of three who gravitated towards volunteerism at an early age. Having grown up in a Salvation Army church as a little girl, she wanted to make the world a better place.

Being benevolent and wanting to make a change to help others, she became a nurse and established her very own youth organisation, which has picked up some steam since its establishment.

Scott is the President of Youth League Guyana, founded in July 2023, and her goal is to develop youths through their immediate needs to build capacity. She is from Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo and is a nurse attached to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH).

The Youth League Guyana has eight executive members with more than 40 members and they are in the process of formulating a project which will be launched soon for youth empowerment.
She pointed out that Youth League Guyana is hosting outreaches on the East Bank of Demerara, Berbice and Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo.

Scott’s journey as a volunteer started years ago and she sees it as a selfless act because, growing up, she was always involved in projects to assist others. Having been involved in volunteerism for a long time, Scott would lend her time to many community-based projects to foster youth development.

“I feel empowered to assist others. I had a lot of training, and this is how I want to give back to society as a volunteer, so our youths can benefit. It feels good to be a part of something that has potential,” she said.

The motto of Youth League Guyana is “One step enables change, building a bridge unifies change” and it reminds her to keep going and never give up.

Scott is very pleased to be a part of the lives of the youths she encounters through her organisation and knows that even though the steps they are making are small, they are still something.

Entrepreneurship and other duties

In the professional world, Scott recalled being a dance teacher and a youth advocate who also promoted the Vergenoegen Pageant for two years before she studied cosmetology, among other things.

Scott had her own small business as a cosmetologist for nine years and was about to launch her skincare and hair products line when COVID-19 happened. However, she was forced to close her shop.

It was then she applied for the nursing aid position with the COVID-19 team in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). At first, she did not like it, but as time passed, she was placed at WDRH, and after being introduced to the various departments, she grew to love the job.

It has been four years since she became a nurse and she has learned a lot, having been exposed to medical practice in all forms.

“It was challenging at first because of the pandemic, which was unprecedented, that was new, something we never experienced before…but I learned gradually and became involved in all sections of the hospital, and now I am enjoying it,” she said.

Scott told the Pepperpot Magazine that helping others is indeed a joy because seeing patients fully recover is extraordinary, knowing that she was part of the process.

She related that cosmetology is still her passion, and she is working on the labels to release her essential hair oil treatment made from local herbs, spices, and face cream. Scott added that she is also developing her own face, body scrub, soap, and hair moisturiser.

She pointed out that she had invested much time, research and effort into the homemade project to launch her own hair, skin and body products.