IF anybody had told Valini Leitch that she was going to wake up every day and be naturally excited to go to work, she would have doubted that—but today, she loves what she does for work, and it shows.

She is a lady who wears many hats: she is the Senior Project Associate, Communication Lead, and Coordinator for the Youth Enhancement Project (YEP) within Food for the Poor (FFP) Guyana.
Apart from investing a lot of time at work in the field, she loves to spread awareness by doing gender-based violence activities.

As an animal lover, Leitch, a Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara resident who now resides in Diamond, East Bank Demerara, told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has two rabbits, three cats, and a very spoiled dog as pets.

She grew up in a single-parent home, raised by her mother, but was never alone since she lived in an extended family setting with her grandparents and an aunt, who didn’t have any children but whom she became very close with while her Leitch’s biological mother worked to provide for her.

Leitch, a mild-mannered woman with an air of humility and a reassuring smile, is always willing to help others. Through her office at FFP, she is lending support to the second batch of youths in the YEP programme offered by the non-profit organisation.

The mother of an adult daughter related that she believes in self-acceptance, love, humility, and humanity and that children have a special place in her heart since she would go beyond and above to see their needs are met as it relates to skills empowerment and education.

“My passion has enabled me to work with children across the country from 2022 to the present, and it has taught me that it doesn’t matter where you come from. It is okay to have dreams and to make them a reality,” she said.

Leitch added that one time, she went to Yarakita, Mabaruma sub-district, Region One, and met a young boy who had the warmest smile when she was working on the early education project launched in the village by FFP Guyana.

She related that her encounter with the boy stayed with her, and when she returned home, she documented it because she couldn’t stop thinking about that little boy.
Leitch reported that in another instance, during a visit to Imbotero Village, a remote Amerindian community that borders Guyana and Venezuela, she interacted with locals, but one little girl, who was four years old, stood out because she was articulate, poised, bold, and brave when she told her she wanted to become the President of Guyana.

Little Annabelle was very sure of what she wanted to become and stood so proudly, saying that aloud to the gathering.
“It is these things, these chance encounters with people, that stay with me, adding comfort and hope within—that dreams do come true, and the environment doesn’t mean you cannot achieve the goals you intend to,” she added.

Leitch told the Pepperpot Magazine that it has been very rewarding working at FFP Guyana and that Andrea Benjamin, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), is not only a boss but a leader among the 49 employees there.

The FFP Guyana staffer reported that she is often motivated by the positive outcomes of youths that she would have helped to mould, and seeing them blossom into success stories is very heartwarming.

Leitch pointed out that she feels like a mother to the 30 youths in her charge in the YEP programme at FFP headquarters, and she would be real with them, giving them heart-to-heart talks in raw scenarios about life experiences.

“Being authentic, being yourself, is what matters to me, and I am as real as it gets. I tell them (youths) the truth and guide them to make informed choices in a career path to become marketable for work, prepare them to become business owners, students, and people who excel in whatever field they choose,” Leitch said.

She stated that being truthful to youths fosters healthy relationships and that they will eventually trust you, which doesn’t create a barrier.

Leitch noted that as a youth facilitator in the FFP Guyana YEP programme, she has seen how education and opportunities empower young people and is always happy about their successes in becoming gainfully employed.

She is the mother of a 20-year-old daughter who is the recipient of the coveted Anderson Scholarship for Caribbean and Latin America Excellence at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, USA.

Naja Anna Leitch graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Business from the United College in Costa Rica. She was an undergraduate student in healthcare management and sustainability.