DESERT Flower Guyana Inc. will be hosting the fifth annual GLOW for Mental Health: Out of the Shadows Awareness Walk, with the aim of creating greater awareness about mental health, while also reducing stigma, bringing mental health out of the shadows and into the conversation.
The Awareness Walk will not only continue the mission of raising awareness and challenging stigma but also seeks to raise funds for one of Desert Flower Guyana’s signature projects for 2027: Project TAP: Therapy Access Project.
Project TAP, according to the organisation, is an initiative that was designed to make counselling and psychological support more accessible to children, adolescents and families through subsidised counselling and psychological support, helping to reduce financial barriers to accessing mental health services and support.
Along with bringing clarity, reducing stigma, and raising funds to subsidise counselling and psychological support, Desert Flower hopes to build community solidarity, and encourage persons battling mental illnesses to seek help.
From the start, the GLOW for Mental Health: Out of the Shadows Awareness Walk fostered collaboration with key partners including the Ministry of Health- Adolescent Health Unit, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Guyana, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Guyana, to promote mental health awareness and well-being, particularly among children, adolescents and young people.
Through this year’s walk, Desert Flower Guyana is calling for a shift in how mental health is understood, discussed and addressed, while also transforming awareness to meaningful access to mental health support and services and care, all under the theme ‘’Creating Hope Through Action.”
The walk is intentionally held at night to create a powerful visual representation of the journey from darkness and silence, towards hope, awareness and support.
Darkness can symbolise the feelings of isolation, fear, stigma and uncertainty that many experience while struggling with their mental health; by standing together and walking through the night a clear message is being sent: mental health struggles do not have to remain hidden in the shadows.
The walk is described as a visible movement of light, hope and solidarity, demonstrating that with a community, we can shine a light on mental health and bring it to the centre of our conversations. The use of green glow lights brings this message to life and becomes a symbol for persons sharing this message.
For Desert Flower Guyana, the goal is to let people know they can speak openly and freely about mental health, listen without casting judgement, recognise the importance of early support, and to understand that asking for help is not a weakness.
Persons interested in participating in this year’s walk can visit and follow Desert Flower Guyana on social media for the registration link, or they can simply show up at the Bank of Guyana from 6PM on October 17, 2026.
The start point is the northern entrance of the Bank of Guyana, where the walk will commence at 18:30hrs (6:30PM), along Main Street (Western Carriageway), right into Lamaha Street, then turn right, into Waterloo Street, right on to North Road before ending at the Bank of Guyana northern entrance.
What is Desert Flower Guyana Inc.? Desert Flower Guyana is a registered non-profit organisation that is committed to promoting positive mental health and psychosocial wellbeing among children, adolescents, young adults, and families across Guyana.
It was established in 2020 by Ms. Cilandell Glen and is currently supported by qualified volunteers with expertise in psychology, counselling, social work, public health, adolescent health, education, and community development. These groups of volunteers manage and execute the daily activities of the organisation.
The organisation collaborates with government agencies, international organisations, schools, healthcare providers, community organisations, and mental health professionals to strengthen mental health promotion and service delivery throughout Guyana.
In the coming years, Desert Flower Guyana plans to strengthen its visibility and programme implementations through existing and new initiatives such as Project G.L.O.W (Growing, Learn, Overcome, Win); Project Mind Him (Mind Him, Hear Him, Support Him), Chest For a Cause- A Mental Health Initiative; and Project TAP.
