THE Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc., (HMGI) is making a positive impact on the lives of many young women and men in Berbice in its efforts to empower and equip them with valuable life skills.
With a strong mandate to educate, empower and elevate, the HMGI, since its establishment in 2005, has been blazing the trail in providing a number of services and vocational training to Berbicians.

One of the beneficiaries, Sunitie Harinarain, a 34-year-old mother of two boys aged 14 and six and a graduate teacher with 17 years of experience, expressed her appreciation for the cooking classes offered through the Mission. She highlighted the remarkable work the Mission has done in helping students acquire essential skills for today’s world.

“I learned a lot. For example, going to that Mission, myself and other students, we were not just there to be in the classroom. We were there to take a skill from that Mission. We earned a skill from there so we could go back into our homes or in our community and do something with it.”

As a single mom and one of the many beneficiaries of HGMI, she encouraged anyone wanting to learn a skill to join the Mission.
“I know that there’s a lot of persons who drop out of school or they are housewives or they don’t have a job. They could just go there and get a skill. Not just in cooking, they’re doing sewing, they’re doing hair, they’re doing nails, just a few to mention. They are doing a lot more. I think people in Port Mourant and around the area and even farther out, they could just go and get themselves elevated”.

Harinarain shared that the Mission serves a vital purpose: to educate and inspire others. This was her first course with HGMI, and she plans to return for more. Offering words of encouragement, Miss Harinarain emphasised that single parents have many opportunities in life, with the Mission being one example. She urged them not to stay stagnant, but to motivate themselves to improve, build confidence, and achieve more for themselves.

On Saturday, a cohort of 80 students, including Harinarain, graduated from nine courses offered through HMGI. This was HMGI’s second graduation for the year.
According to a breakdown from Suresh Sugrim, the President and founder of HGMI, 13 students successfully graduated from the Basic Information Technology (IT) course, while 10 completed the Advanced IT course. In the nail programme, 14 students graduated, and the Summer Basic IT and Cake Making courses saw 10 graduates each. The Hair course produced four graduates, the Pastry course had four, and five students graduated from the Makeup course. Additionally, the Mission invites stakeholders to join them in their vision of uplifting individuals through education.

Sugrim explained, “In communities affected by limited educational opportunities, feelings of hopelessness and frustration can often prevail. Through the support of our generous donors and partnerships, we are committed to breaking this cycle of poverty by educating, empowering, and elevating individuals.”

He pointed out that the Mission believes that education is the pathway to change, which fosters personal growth and hope.
By equipping these persons with essential life skills, the Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc., aims to inspire self-improvement and help people become the best version of themselves.

HMGI is located at 14-26 Area Q, Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice, and can be found on Facebook.