61 years of bold plans for community development

…JCI celebrates 61st anniversary

In an ever-evolving world where the cry for community development, youth empowerment, and active citizenship grows, one organisation in Guyana has continued to answer that call with unwavering commitment.

JCI Guyana, also known as Junior Chamber International Guyana, is that organisation, and its set to celebrate its 61st anniversary with a Week of Activities from June 1st to 7th, under the theme “Fuel the Legacy: Accelerate the Impact.”
The week begins on Sunday with a Thanksgiving Church Service and Fellowship Potluck. Monday features Media Day and a Merch Pop-Up Shop; Tuesday is Community Impact Day, with a Hot Meal and Clothing Drive, and Brand Awareness Campaign; Wednesday is Skills Development Day; Thursday hosts a Blood Drive for Human Duties Day; Friday includes a Tree Planting Exercise and JCI Funday; the week concludes on Saturday with a Peace Walk.

For more than six decades, this youth-led non-profit organisation (NGO) has quietly but powerfully shaped the landscape of volunteerism and leadership in Guyana. Affiliated with JCI West Indies and ultimately with JCI World — a global network that spans over 5,000 chapters in nearly every corner of the world — the Guyana chapter remains rooted in its mission: to provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change.
Speaking with Kenisha Lashley, the 2025 President of JCI Guyana, one is quickly reminded that this is no ordinary service group. It’s a movement. And under her leadership, that movement is gaining fresh momentum.
“Many people might not recognise the name JCI,” Lashley explained. “But when you say JSC — the Junior Senate Chamber — especially to older generations, that rings a bell. That’s what we were first known as in McKenzie, Linden, before evolving into JCI Guyana.”
Since its founding in 1964, JCI Guyana has been the springboard for initiatives that would later be institutionalised across the nation — from blood drives and beauty pageants to what is now the Marshmallow Celebration, a signature event that began in Linden. But while the past is rich, it’s the present and future that Lashley is most passionate about.
With 2025 marking not just another anniversary, but a recommitment to deeper community outreach, Lashley’s leadership theme “Formulate to Accelerate” speaks volumes.
“We are taking the time to plan, to refine, and to expand our reach,” she noted.

Moving from Georgetown to the Hinterlands
Though currently headquartered in Georgetown, JCI Guyana is determined to shed its centrality and revive its footprint in under-represented areas such as Berbice, Linden, Bartica, and Essequibo.
“We’ve already re-engaged Berbice and Bartica through sensitisation campaigns,” said Lashley, who proudly hails from Berbice herself. “Essequibo and Linden are next.”
She believes that by going where the need is greatest, the organisation can remain truly inclusive — bringing training, leadership development, and service to all corners of Guyana.
JCI Guyana’s dual-focus on financial and non-financial projects ensures its sustainability. Its Cancer Awareness Dinner, a flagship event where proceeds go to a cancer survivor via the Cancer Institute, has touched many lives. Then there are food and clothing drives, pedestrian crossings, back-to-school campaigns, and barbecues that not only fund these missions but also build solidarity among members and partners.
Corporate partnerships with entities like Bank of Guyana, SPF Offshore, Ramps Logistics, and most recently, community-based collaborations in areas such as Stretch Creek, amplify the impact.
But perhaps one of the most moving plans for the future stems from a moment of reflection while driving through Georgetown.
“I saw a man living in one of the parks — his belongings, his chair, everything was there — but no washroom facility,” Lashley recounted. “That’s when it hit me. What if we created a clean, managed space where the homeless could bathe and receive a change of clothing?”
It’s a dream that aligns with JCI’s creed: “Service to humanity is the best work of life.” Lashley knows it won’t be easy. “We can’t do this alone. But with the help of stakeholders, we believe it’s possible.”
Whether it’s empowering female supervisors with seminars during International Women’s Day, partnering with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to host defensive driving workshops, or providing “Kites and Candies” to children every Easter, one thing is clear: JCI Guyana is not simply celebrating years — they’re counting the lives changed.
“We’re not just here to volunteer,” she affirms. “We’re here to make a difference. And we’re just getting started.”