— Humanitarian Mission expands training in entrepreneurship, technology and practical skills

HUNDREDS of women across Berbice are being given opportunities to transform their lives through practical skills, entrepreneurship and education, as Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc. continues to expand its training programmes.
Operating from Port Mourant, Berbice, the non-profit organisation has positioned itself as an important avenue for women seeking to acquire marketable skills, become financially independent and create better opportunities for themselves and their families.
In 2025 alone, 282 women graduated from programmes offered by the Mission, while another 120 graduated in July 2026. More than 100 women are expected to receive certification at another upcoming graduation ceremony.
From cooking and cake decorating to sewing, hairstyling, information technology and even drone training, the Mission is helping women turn practical skills into potential livelihoods while building confidence and independence.
Its programmes have attracted participants from across Regions Five and Six, including persons travelling from as far as Siparuta to access training.
For Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc., however, the work extends beyond simply teaching a skill.
Its programmes are grounded in the belief that when people are provided with education and practical opportunities, they are better positioned to change their circumstances and contribute meaningfully to their families and communities.
The organisation’s guiding principle, “Every moment is a new beginning,” captures that philosophy and its emphasis on providing opportunities for people to learn, grow and start again.
SKILLS FOR INDEPENDENCE
The Mission currently offers a wide range of certified life-skills courses delivered by trained instructors.
These include cooking, pastry making, cake decorating, basic and advanced nail technology, basic and advanced sewing, basic and advanced hairstyling, and basic and advanced information technology.
Drone and cocktail-making classes have also been introduced, further widening the range of training available.
Importantly, classes are conducted throughout the week, including Saturdays and Sundays.
This flexibility caters particularly to women who must balance training with employment, childcare, household responsibilities and other commitments.
For the Mission, every graduate represents more than another certificate issued. Each woman leaves with a skill that can potentially be transformed into employment, a small business or an additional source of income for her household.
Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc. Suresh Sugrim told the Guyana Chronicle that the organisation would welcome collaboration with government agencies to further expand its training programmes.
He stressed that the Mission’s approach is not centred on “handouts”, but on equipping women with the skills necessary to earn and build better lives for themselves.
Several graduates, according to the organisation, have gone on to establish small businesses and contribute more substantially to their households.
Sugrim believes the benefits of educating and empowering women extend far beyond the individual.
“When we educate, we invest. And when we educate women, we are not only shaping individual success, we are building families, strengthening communities, and laying the foundation for nations,” he said.
That philosophy, he explained, remains at the heart of the Mission’s work.
MODERN TRAINING FACILITIES
Supporting the growing programme are facilities and resources designed to give participants practical experience.
The Mission is equipped with a Smart Sustainable Classroom, allowing technology to be incorporated into the learning environment.
It also has a commercial kitchen provided through the Greater Guyana Initiative, strengthening its capacity to deliver hands-on training in cooking, pastry making and other food-related disciplines.
Photovoltaic solar panels have also been installed with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
These investments have allowed the organisation to combine traditional skills training with modern technology and facilities, providing participants with practical experience that can better prepare them for employment and entrepreneurship.
As demand for training continues to grow, Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc. is looking towards greater collaboration with government agencies, private-sector organisations and other partners.
The organisation believes its existing training centre can be further utilised through partnerships to provide more Guyanese with access to skills development.
Such collaboration, it believes, could expand opportunities for women, young people and other vulnerable groups while complementing wider efforts to strengthen Guyana’s human-resource capacity.
For the Mission, development is not measured solely by physical infrastructure, but also by investment in people.
Providing someone with a practical skill, it maintains, can create a lifelong opportunity to earn, provide for a family and contribute to the development of the wider community.