AS part of District 7030 Conference held in Guyana earlier this month, the six Rotaract clubs in Guyana participated in a community service project called DARE that allowed participants to engage in various impactful projects that would benefit communities.
Held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel and titled “Destination Guyana,” the 38th conference saw participants from 17 countries and featured training sessions, tours, and DARE: D: Diverse but unified; A: Agro-n-me; R: Rota love and E: Enriching my mental health.

According to Kimberly Manbodh from the Rotaract Club of Georgetown, the main sponsor, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, along with their Power to Make a Difference volunteers and Rotaract conference attendees played a vital role at the Guyana Zoo and Wildlife Centre where they painted a mental health mural (wall) to promote and raise awareness of the importance of caring for one’s mental health.

There was also the creation of a peace path that gave a guide on how to amicably resolve conflicts and choose peace, as well as an upcycling project where old tyres were colourfully painted and reused as flower plant pots around the playground area.
Running concurrent to the project in the Zoo, some of the attendees journeyed to the One Guyana Shade house at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, to participate in planting sweet peppers; they also got to benefit from a tour at the Victoria Greens Hydroponics Farm.

To culminate the momentous day, Rotaract attendees gathered at the National Park to commemorate the installation of a mental health bench in collaboration with Desert Flower
Guyana, a non-governmental organisation that deals with mental health.
This is the first of many to be placed around the park in order to allow people to reflect and find coping mechanisms to get through a difficult moment.

“Special thanks to the Guyana Zoo and Wildlife Centre for allowing Rotaract to serve the Guyanese community in such an impactful way,” Manbodh said.
The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) also provided flower plants and soil, while the National Park under the Protected Areas Commission provided a space for people to feel free to talk about mental health.

Rotaract is the youth arm of Rotary International, which comprises young adults from age 18 to 35, with a mandate to foster community development through service, nurture leadership and professional skills and network with other like-minded organisations.
The District 7030 Conference was held from June 13 to 17, with participants from within the Caribbean and South America sharing in workshops and enjoying the Guyanese cuisine and culture.

At the opening ceremony, members of the Rotaract clubs were challenged to continue influencing others and positively impacting the communities they serve.
“Anchored in the concept of service above self, your clubs inculcate in their members the sense of something greater than the individual. They emphasise the philosophy that we live in communities, and in order for our communities to thrive, we must serve the greater good to better our collective well-being,” Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, remarked.

While pointing to several youth initiatives of the Government, such as the President’s Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme, the minister said young people are key to the country’s long-term development and sustainability. “My message to each of you is that, in your individual sphere of influence, you can help define the future through intentional action.”
“Your organising and sustaining events like this conference serve as evidence that young people are more than capable of taking charge and making a significant impact,” the minister continued.