– as Humanitarian Mission Guyana empowers thousands through skills but sees significant absence of male participants

For more than two decades, the quiet work of Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc. has been reshaping lives across Region Six and beyond, moving hundreds of families away from dependency and toward independence through practical skills, education and empowerment. What began in 2005 as a traditional handout-based charity, has evolved into one of Guyana’s most impactful life-skills training initiatives, guided by a simple but deliberate philosophy: educate, empower and elevate. According to head of the organisation, Pandit Suresh Sugrim, the shift away from handouts was not accidental, but born out of hard lessons learned in the fight against poverty.
“Handouts were never the answer; they provide temporary relief, but they don’t break the cycle. Skills do,” Sugrim explained. That realisation led to the organisation constructing a training facility and since then, the impact has been immeasurable and far-reaching. From 2015 to the present, 6,871 women have passed through the Humanitarian Mission’s training centre, completing courses in cooking, baking, sewing, balloon decoration, nail and hair care, facial care, computer studies, AC refrigeration, small engine repair and basic electrical work. The overwhelming majority, approximately 95 per cent, have been women. Many of those graduates have gone on to open small, home-based businesses, provide services within their communities, or gain employment using the skills acquired at the centre. Sugrim says the focus has always been on creating pathways, not just certificates. “These are courses that allow people to stop depending on others, to become independent, to provide for themselves and their families. We have seen women start businesses from their homes, small shops, catering services, salons; people doing well for themselves because of life-skills education,” he said.

The demand for those opportunities has only intensified. In 2025 alone, the organisation graduated 282 females from its programmes. By early 2026, interest had surged even further. New courses were advertised in cooking, sewing, baking, nail and hair care, basic and advanced computer studies, among others. Most are filled almost immediately.
As of January, the training centre had reached full capacity, with 100 students enrolled in the January semester and no available rooms for additional participants. Registration has now been pushed ahead to the May–June semester due to the volume of applicants.
“We are filled, and we are only in February. People from across Region Six are coming in to register. The response has been overwhelming,” Sugrim noted. To meet the demand, the organisation has begun rolling out Sunday classes, including sewing programmes and a male-focused class, an area Sugrim believes requires urgent national attention.

Support for boys and men
While the mission has successfully empowered thousands of women, Sugrim is candid about what he sees as a glaring gap: support for boys and men. “Boys and men desperately need help. There is no society, no foundation taking them off the street, counselling them, guiding them away from violence, substance abuse, alcohol and crime.” He pointed to alcohol abuse as a major contributor to violence among young men, often escalating into social breakdown and criminal behaviour. Despite multiple efforts, he says partnerships to address this issue remain limited. Sugrim is now calling on Government Ministries, agencies and civil society organisations to collaborate in creating structured programmes for boys and men, spaces where they can be counselled, mentored, educated and reintegrated into society. “Many organisations focus on girls and women, and that work is important. But how much focus is really placed on boys and men? We need places where they can be taught respect, conflict resolution, accountability and the consequences of crime,” he added. But even as he raises those concerns, Sugrim remains optimistic. He aligns the mission’s work with national development priorities and says individuals must also take responsibility for engaging with the opportunities available. “The Government is trying. The vision is there: education, technology, economic transformation, but people must take initiative. You have what it takes to rebuild yourself,” Sugrim pointed out. As Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc. prepares for future semesters, expands weekend programmes and seeks new partnerships, its role as a beacon of hope remains firmly intact, proving that sustainable change is not delivered through charity alone, but through skills, dignity and opportunity.