GUYDA’s Visit to Guyana 2022

The Guyana United Youth Development Association of New York, Inc. (GUYDA) team visited Guyana from August 9-16, 2022, to determine how the organization can further meet the needs of the youth of Guyana. GUYDA was established in May 2005 primarily to promote social and educational opportunities and training for Guyana and the United States youth to become productive citizens. During the current visit, GUYDA members discussed with officials from the University of Guyana to develop linkages for further educational support to the country’s youth. It also provides scholarships to financially challenged students to attend the University of Guyana and other learning institutions. One such scholarship is the Matriarch Rose October Scholarship for students pursuing a Degree in Social Work.

Meeting with stakeholders of the Literacy Program in Charity, Guyana.

The team visited Essequibo on Thursday, August 11, to meet with stakeholders in Charity on the Essequibo Coast to discuss implementing a Charity After-School Literacy Project. The Literacy Program will be launched in January 2023 in response to the need to raise the community's literacy level. The Program will target students between the ages of six and ten and will be hosted by Rev. Richard King at God’s Battalion of Prayer Centre in Charity.

Teachers who received tablets to help them with virtual learning

GUYDA has also supported students to participate in the STEM Guyana initiative, the Sophia

Literacy Program, as well as provided school supplies to the youth of New Amsterdam through the Gordon Foundation. During the Pandemic of 2020, GUYDA hosted a panel discussion on the “Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Youth of Guyana” to determine the needs of the youth. GUYDA responded to the needs by providing food relief to Bagotsville residents on the West Bank, Charity, and Jack Low communities in the Pomeroon. GUYDA also provided tablets to the youth of Charity to support virtual learning. Two recipients of the tablets have graduated from the Cyril Potter School of Education and will be part of the Literacy Program in Charity.

Meeting with staff at the University of Guyana to discuss scholarship opportunities for students in need

The visiting team of GUYDA’s representatives included Mr. Leslie Stewart (President), and Mr.

Victor Osborne (Vice-President), Dr. Sherry Hamilton (Chaplain), Dr. Barbara Kendall

(Organizing Secretary), Mr. Enric Kendall (YPG Coordinator), Dr. Gordon Howell (member),

and Mr. Keith Jonas (member).