A nonprofit organisation on a mission
HUMANITY First International has been registered in the UK since 1995, initially aimed at aiding the displaced people of the Bosnia War. Since then, the venture has evolved, reaching more people worldwide and eventually finding its way to Guyana in 2004. Humanity First Guyana is the local installment of the nonprofit organisation. Recently, they have made great strides in reaching farther corners of the country. The Pepperpot Magazine sat down with Maqsood Mansoor, chairman of Humanity First Guyana, to understand what goes into an international nonprofit organisation and how it manages to reach new heights.

Although the organisation had humble beginnings, it has grown to be a team fully equipped with hundreds of people across the globe. Speaking of his team’s strides, Mansoor stated, “We had a humble beginning, and now we have grown and spread to different parts of the country. Just recently, we were able to reach 665 patients in three days. This is remarkable. The US Ambassador visited one of our outreaches and encouraged our whole team to continue serving mankind. This is great. Every time we reach a new level. We are very motivated and encouraged by our last outreach.”

Impact and Mission
Humanity First Guyana has very specific goals; this is perhaps one reason they have succeeded. As Mansoor stated, the foundation has goals, “Our primary goal is to support the most deserving citizens of Guyana in the pre-designed programmes such as Food Security, Global Health, Orphan and Community Care, Education, and Disaster Relief when and if it occurs.”

Children are always a primary focus for the team. As Mansoor outlined one of their most recent endeavours, stating its success, “Under our Food Security programme, we focus on feeding the underprivileged who are unable to make ends meet. One example is our providing lunch to school- children at West Ruimveldt Primary School. The teachers, parents, and children were extremely grateful, and the staff expressed how students were more motivated to come to school, knowing that they would be provided a lunch.”

As much as the success of any organisation can be seen, accounting for the impact of a nonprofit organisation is a bit tricky. According to Mansoor, feedback plays a big role in measuring success. “Our success is measured by keeping track of our activities, getting feedback from the recipients, and ensuring that we are benefiting the greatest number of people for the least cost.”

Shifting Focus
The organisation’s greatest challenges are reaching the far-off communities and getting the supplies needed to support their medical outreaches and food hampers. However, they do have a plan for reaching the far-flung areas that need help. “We are reaching out to support organisations and collaborators in this challenge. The American Embassy in Georgetown has in the past provided air transportation to a remote community, and we are grateful to them for the personnel, material, and other support they have provided and continue to provide. We need other collaborators to assist us in this joint endeavour.”

At the core of every organisation is a targeted issue they want to solve, and Humanity First Guyana has shifted its focus and target, choosing to take on the challenges of far-flung communities. Mansoor stated that their decision was ignited by a gap they saw, stating that, “We spent a lot of money, time, and effort on donating cooked food to the homeless and street dwellers, but later realised that many other organisations were serving the same group of people during the same time, so we diverted our efforts and funds to the needy children in other areas where such services [are] provided mainly to the underprivileged children, especially those who were skipping school on account of not being able to have lunch during school days.”

Operations and Programmes
Humanity First Guyana has a long list of ventures they have already undertaken. Some of these are Disaster Relief, Food Security, Water for Life, Knowledge for Life, Gift of Health, Gift of Sight, Community Care, and Orphan Care. Other than Water for Life and Disaster Relief, The organisation has been keeping the programmes active. It has worked to develop its governing system. Each Country Director works with the volunteers of each particular country, decides on the programmes after analysing the needs and ability to sustain such a programme, and can procure the funds to ensure the smooth running of the programme.

Humanity First Guyana can reach hundreds of people in a matter of weeks; this is made possible largely in part by their volunteers. “Our volunteers are an essential aspect of our organisation. Because we are an NGO, we heavily rely on our volunteers to dedicate their time to serving humanity. We are inclusive and promote diversity, regardless of religion, race, culture, or political affiliation – indeed, we are a humanitarian organisation. To get involved or to discuss any pertinent issues, one can simply text/call our chairman or directors,” said Mansoor during our interview.

Learning from the Community
The organisation also travels to many countries, aiding in similar issues in every region. However, they have learned that every country is different, and thus, every country needs a different approach. This is where community leaders play an important role. As Mansoor stated, “When we engage with a new community, we try to utilise the experience of the community leaders to be introduced to those in need. We always try to contact different leaders, such as the Police Commander, Toshao, Social Worker, Mayor, Counsellor, etc. In that way, it ensures that the right people are receiving assistance.”

Looking to the Future
As champions of humanitarianism, the organisation works towards creating a sense of community with a collective, genuine ambition to help others. This is where their volunteers come in. Mansoor says the organisation’s success is owed almost entirely to the people who dedicate their time and energy toward the cause that Humanity First believes in. “To maximise our programmes and include volunteers that are dedicated to making a change. In this way, these programmes will be operating efficiently and with the spirit that Humanity First Guyana strives for.”

Motivating others to not only join their mission, but also to undertake causes of their own is an area Humanity First is focused on. Their message to anyone who wants to help is simple: start small and with good intentions. Mansoor shared that, “Even the smallest effort can make a difference in someone’s life, especially for a person in need. One should not think that just because they are benefiting five people or 15 people that they are not making a difference. Rather, even this small difference can cause an impact, and once these small efforts are recognised, they can develop into something bigger,” Mansoor said. “In addition, the intention should always be pure. Never seek fame; rather, be sincere in helping mankind and the recognition will follow afterwards.”