$2M in funding for youth green businesses as ENGAGE 2.0 rolled out 

Some $2 million in grant funding will be disbursed to support youth-led green enterprises in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Four (Demerara-Mahaica), as Recover Guyana on Tuesday launched ENGAGE 2.0, the second phase of its youth empowerment initiative focused on environmental sustainability, green entrepreneurship, and job readiness.
Delivered in partnership with Scotiabank Guyana, ENGAGE 2.0 builds on the success of its pilot programme and aims to equip young people with the skills, confidence, and resources needed to create sustainable livelihoods while contributing to a greener, more resilient, and prosperous national future.
Launched in 2025, the pilot phase of ENGAGE successfully reached 100 vulnerable youth from Regions Three and Six, achieving its initially set objectives. Participants gained practical skills in managing eco-friendly businesses such as hydroponics, composting, recycling, and renewable energy through a structured programme that combined green skills and financial training, entrepreneurship development, mentorship, and job-readiness support.

The initiative awarded $2 million in grant funding to participants with innovative green ideas who were able to produce viable and sustainable business plans. All participants reported increased job readiness and confidence in financial and entrepreneurial decision-making, with many securing employment or internships or advancing in their careers within a year, demonstrating the programme’s impact on economic empowerment and environmental stewardship.
Building on this success, Recover Guyana will expand ENGAGE 2.0 to new communities in Regions Two and Four. The programme will deliver hands-on training in managing businesses that utilise eco-friendly technologies and sustainable agriculture, strengthen marketable skills in green sectors such as hydroponics, composting, recycling, and vertical farming, introduce sustainable environmental practices, and foster community engagement and peer-to-peer support.
ENGAGE 2.0 will be delivered in three phases, starting in January 2026 and culminating with a completion ceremony in June 2026. The programme will begin with a one-day refresher session for ENGAGE 1.0 participants, followed by a two-day training programme in Region Two and a three-day intensive Green Business Workshop in Region Four, covering the East Bank Demerara, Georgetown, and the East Coast Demerara.
Participants will receive instruction from professionals in green entrepreneurship, business development, and financial literacy, complemented by a structured post-training mentorship programme.
Delivering opening remarks at the launch, First Vice President of Recover Guyana, Dr Omesh Balmacoon, said ENGAGE 2.0 represents a critical step in advancing the organisation’s vision of a sustainable, prosperous future led by empowered youth.
“Through practical skills development, mentorship, funding support, and community engagement, we are creating measurable impact by equipping young people to turn innovative green ideas into thriving businesses that benefit both their communities and the nation as a whole,” Dr Balmacoon said.
Country Manager of Scotiabank Guyana, Nafeeza Gaffoor, said the institution is proud to support the initiative.
“We are proud to champion ENGAGE, a programme that transforms potential into progress. Through this initiative, young people gain real-world skills, launch businesses, enhance their employability, and build the confidence to manage their finances and plan for brighter futures,” Gaffoor said. She added that Scotiabank’s partnership with Recover Guyana extends beyond funding, with employees actively sharing financial knowledge, providing mentorship, and guiding participants throughout their entrepreneurial journeys.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the Small Business Bureau, Mohamed Ibrahim, also welcomed the initiative, highlighting its importance for youth development and the green economy.
“This project is a step in the right direction for business development. Guyana’s future will not be shaped by policies alone, but by ideas formed in classrooms and workshops. It will be shaped by people who are ready to lead, innovate, and act with purpose. This is why ENGAGE matters,” Ibrahim said.