25 girls write, publish their life stories; proceeds to be used to advance careers

Twenty-five girls who are from vulnerable groups across Guyana now have an opportunity to write their stories and get them published under a brand-new project formulated by the Human Services and Social Security Ministry and called “The StoryBoard Initiative.”
Launched at the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI) at Cove-and-John, East Coast Demerara on Monday, the idea is to impart creative writing skills along with functional literacy to develop storyboards written by girls who had difficult lives but surmounted those challenges. Six teachers have signed on to assist the girls with their creative writing skills, along with six journalists of the Guyana Press Association, who will volunteer as mentors.

The inspirational stories that come out of this initiative will be published, and the proceeds will be used in the interest of these very girls. In fact, a series of inspirational books is intended to be published over time, with more girls in the programme.
At the launch on Monday, each girl was provided with a creative survival kit which includes a tablet, hygiene products, toiletries, stationery supplies, and a backpack to motivate them and support them.
“We wanted to ensure that International Girls Day was not just marked by a message or something we said, but we wanted to do something that would make an impact on you; something transformative… something that can change your lives,” Dr Persaud is quoted by the Ministry as telling the participants during her address.
According to her, the girls will be given the opportunity to share their stories “exactly as they are.” The proceeds from the books that are published will go right back to helping them build their careers and make their dreams into a reality, she said.
“We’re going to help you do more than just dream; we’ll help you make those dreams come true. Dreams do not have to remain dreams, because you have a supportive network of all of us right behind you,” Dr Persaud expressed.
Director of the Childcare Agency, Ann Green, was also present at the launch, and she pointed out that the whole initiative is part of occupational therapy. “It will help you to deal with any issues that you have as young people. It’s a way of expressing yourself, especially if you cannot get anyone to hear you, so I want to encourage you to make full use of it,” she urged.
Greene told the girls that while the Ministry can light the spark, it was up to them to ensure they keep the fire burning and remain motivated.
One of the teachers who will be helping is Christine Jaipaul of Tutorial Academy Secondary School, who has been in the teaching profession for the past 20 years.
“From my understanding of the programme, I will be teaching them to write short stories over a period of six weeks; each week we’ll look at a different element. It’s a great initiative, as I always advocate for young girls in need,” she shared.
Meanwhile, Persaud also used the occasion to launch the Youth Unfiltered TV programme that will be aired from this coming weekend. The programme features young influencers discussing timely topics on the Ministry’s social media platforms to help ignite health discussions among girls across the country, and heighten awareness of their challenges.