COMING from a background where she was always involved in volunteerism made it easy for Andrea Benjamin to choose a career where she maximised her potential in serving others.

It has been more than 19 years. Benjamin is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Food for the Poor, Guyana Inc. and has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others in her previous capacity as a project specialist.

She is among the 25 Influential Women Leader awardees from the 2023 cohort, and she assumed the role of CEO in 2024, following 19 years of dedicated service in the field of community development.

She said that prior to becoming CEO, she served as the senior manager with responsibility for projects, where she led the planning and execution of all developmental initiatives implemented by the organisation across Guyana.

“I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from the University of Guyana (UG) and a Degree in Business Management from the University of the West Indies. I am also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), credentialed by the Project Management Institute. My academic training, combined with practical experience, has shaped me into a management specialist and a committed community development strategist and advocate,” she said.

Benjamin added that a passion for rural transformation and sustainable development has driven her professional journey.

She has worked extensively in all ten administrative regions of Guyana, implementing projects in various areas, including education, livelihood enhancement, health, housing, water, and sanitation.

“Each initiative I have led reflects my commitment to empowering individuals, strengthening families, and building resilient communities.

Beyond my formal responsibilities, I volunteer my time and expertise to several national and community-based organisations. I currently support the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism and contribute to the work of the Ministry of Health (MOH),” Benjamin said.

She related that she is also actively involved with the Samatta Point Football Club and serves on the Management Committee of the Save ‘R’ Kids Children’s Home.

Benjamin reported that her past service includes membership on the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) Agriculture Board, the Technical Arm of the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons (TIP), and serving as Secretary of VoiceGy.

“My leadership is rooted in compassion, guided by strategy, and driven by results. I remain committed to fostering partnerships and advancing solutions that bring meaningful and lasting change to the lives of vulnerable people across Guyana,” she said.

Narrating her career journey, Benjamin told Pepperpot Magazine that, having worked in the Projects/PR department during her early years at FFP Guyana Inc., she was involved in the Angels of Hope programme, which provided support to orphanages and children in difficult circumstances.

She started with two homes, and before she knew it, she was working with seven. However, her efforts did not go unnoticed. Having spotted her potential, she was reassigned to the Projects Department, where she supervised 100 projects during that time.

The CEO stated that the largest of the housing projects is the Little Red Village at Onderneeming Sand Pit, Region Two, where, between 2008 and 2009, 1,000 wooden two-bedroom houses were constructed.

Benjamin pointed out that, in addition, FFP Guyana Inc. also built a community centre, a school, and a shop. Overall, they successfully completed more than 300 such projects in all 10 regions, including the hinterland area.

She disclosed that two other notable projects include Kairuni Nursery School, located along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, whose building was completed in 2013, resulting in a doubling of attendance.

The Ministry of Education has since enhanced the space, making it a fully equipped school, and has funded the school feeding programme.

Benjamin revealed that they also built six nursery schools in the Mabaruma sub-district in villages where none existed — in Imbotero and Tobago Hill — and supported two other nursery schools constructed that same year at Almond Beach and Yarakita with teaching aids, furniture, and packages for teachers.

She pointed out that due to this project, 200 children gained access to nursery education, and since then, they have seen an increase in the number of children attending.

Benjamin disclosed that in Region Five, they engaged farmers to boost their income, and 60 families participated in a programme hosted by FFP Guyana Inc.

She said they have had several initiatives to foster youth development across the country, and their literacy programme is a testimony to their capacity building. It started in 2024 and was designed to help girls and women learn the basics of reading and writing.

Benjamin stated that 27 women graduated from that programme and can now write, spell their names, and fill out forms at the health centres.

She disclosed that recently, during a visit to Baramita, Region One, they recruited 15 women for the programme and 19 more were enrolled. These are women who never had the opportunity to complete their formal education.