xzA PART-TIME worker from Port Mourant, Corentyne, is preparing to take an exciting new step in her professional journey after successfully completing a Pharmacy Assistant course through the Government of Guyana’s Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme.
What once seemed like a distant possibility is now becoming a reality, as she prepares to transition from part-time employment into a new role as a pharmacy assistant.
For Darshanie Deolall, the achievement represents much more than simply completing a course. It is an opportunity to build a career, develop new skills and create a more secure future for herself and her family.
Through the GOAL programme, she was able to access the training needed to pursue a field she never imagined would have been within her reach.
With determination and a willingness to learn, she successfully completed the programme and is now looking forward to putting her knowledge and skills into practice.
Her journey is another example of how access to education and training can open new doors for ordinary Guyanese, providing opportunities for persons to improve their qualifications, pursue new careers and transform their lives.
For Deolall, completing the Pharmacy Assistant programme has already begun to change the direction of her life, opening the door to a career she once believed was beyond her reach.
“I did the pharmacy assistant programme, and I finished last month and I’m working presently at the Ophthalmology Pharmacy right now,” she said.
According to Deolall, prior to completing the programme, she worked at the hospital as a part-time worker for approximately three years.
During that period, she never imagined that she would one day be able to pursue professional training and transition into a new role within the health sector.
Without Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects, Deolall said she had previously doubted whether opportunities for further education and career advancement would ever be available to her.
She said: “I didn’t have CXC subjects and I always think I wouldn’t be able to do it… I always thought I would work in some shop and that’s it and I wouldn’t give up.”
Despite those doubts, she remained hopeful and continued looking for opportunities to improve herself.
When the pharmacy assistant programme became available, Deolall said she regularly searched online for information and eventually found the encouragement she needed from a close friend to take the chance.
She recalled: “When the programme come out, I always look up on the internet to always make sure that the programme was there. I had a good friend and he encouraged me to do it and I thought it would be difficult but I did it.”
What initially appeared difficult soon became one of her greatest accomplishments. Deolall committed herself to the programme, successfully completed the course and is now graduating with an impressive 96 percent.
Her achievement is particularly meaningful given the doubts she once had about her ability to pursue further studies.
Today, she is not only equipped with new qualifications but also already gaining practical experience working at the Ophthalmology Pharmacy.
Reflecting on her journey, Deolall encouraged other young people who may doubt their abilities or believe that their circumstances prevent them from pursuing greater opportunities to take a chance on themselves.
She encouraged young persons to “never say you can’t, just do it.”
For Deolall, the impact extends beyond gaining a qualification and securing a new professional opportunity. She said her family is extremely proud and happy for her, making the accomplishment even more meaningful.