COMING from a humble background, living in an underserved community on a dam in South Georgetown, Ishmael Bowen, 17, didn’t let these things define him. He grabbed the opportunities presented to him and made good use of them.

He was successful in the Youth Enhancement Project (YEP), which was implemented by Food for the Poor (FFP) Guyana and funded by the Butterfly Project, designed to build the capacity of at-risk youths aged 16 to 24 from the South Georgetown area.

The initiative provided participants with skills, knowledge, and support to enhance their employability and personal development.

Bowen explained to Pepperpot Magazine that he was fresh out of secondary school and coming out of a work-study attachment. He had his eyes set on attending the University of Guyana (UG), but his marks in Mathematics hindered him.

He was despondent and looking for an opportunity to upgrade himself, and it was then a friend, Tiffany, told him about a project she was going to attend.

The young man, hungry for any opportunity, went with the friend and, after learning about it, enrolled and was successful.

This move set the tone for many things to come, and today, Bowen is almost at the end of his two-year course in Computer Science at the Government Technical Institute (GTI).

The project saw 14 youths enrolled, and 13 were successful in graduating from the five-month course, where they were engaged in structured sessions totalling five contact hours per week, held on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Further, to ensure their comfort, they were provided with snacks during each session. Additionally, each participant received a monthly stipend of $6,000 to support their participation.

Bowen is a student of GTI, reading for a Diploma in Computer Science. Notably, he placed third in the National Coding Competition.

Today, he is making strides in the world of technology as a driven graduate of YEP.

With a passion for coding and website development, he is dedicated to perfecting his craft and building a bright future in the tech industry.

Recently, Bowen received a laptop from the Butterfly Project—a tool that will further enhance his skills and help him achieve his goals.

With this support, he is well on his way to mastering the art of coding and creating innovative web solutions.

Bowen reported that, of the group, he only knew four persons, but as the course progressed, he was at ease because their facilitator, Valini Leitch of FFP, was the ideal teacher—strict but reasonable—and provided the support needed to move forward.

He disclosed that the YEP Project and funding from the Butterfly Project really increased his skills in managing goals and working well in groups. They also made learning fun with the introduction of educational games, and the laptop he was given has enabled him to focus on his studies.

Bowen expressed his gratitude for the gift from the Butterfly Project, run by the Ramnauth brothers, who are giving back to society and the very community they once lived in.

“I have four other siblings. I am the third child to my parents, and I can say I am fortunate because things fell into place just when I needed them to, and it is working well for me so far,” he said.

The young man added that with faith, anything is possible because it can happen with God, who will put you in the right place or send good people to assist you. So, you must never limit yourself—always look ahead and dream big by working towards it.

Bowen, a very polite, well-mannered person, is wise beyond his years. He is very certain of succeeding and is very grateful for the assistance he has received so far.

“I started GTI last September and I am almost at the end of the year, going into Year Two, reading for a Diploma in Computer Science, after which I would like to enrol at UG for the Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. I also want to study cyber security, among other things, to elevate my level of competency and qualifications in the IT world,” he said.

Bowen told Pepperpot Magazine that he will also pursue training and certification in CompTIA Networking and A+, that is, computer repairs and maintenance.

He will be celebrating his 18th birth anniversary in May, and he is looking forward to his internship with a private company for one month.

Bowen pointed out that his parents have been very supportive of his academic endeavours, and he is happy to make them proud.