Granny Burgess joins Century Club at 100; women highlight growth through WIIN

…as Human Services Ministry initiatives honour, empower Guyanese of all ages, walks of life

Living to see some 36,525 days is undoubtedly a rare and remarkable achievement.
Fortunately for Ms. Elaine Daphne McLean Burgess of South Ruimveldt, this milestone has been gracefully achieved as she recently celebrated her 100th birthday.
With this significant achievement, she now becomes a cherished member of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s distinguished Century Club—an initiative dedicated to providing extra care and recognition for citizens who have reached the age of 100 and beyond.

The Century Club was thoughtfully conceptualized by Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, with the profound aim of celebrating and honouring Guyanese centenarians.
This compassionate program ensures that dedicated staff from the Ministry’s Difficult Circumstance Unit (DCU) visit these esteemed individuals on their birthdays and on a quarterly basis to deliver personal care packages.
Furthermore, these cherished centenarians receive consistent support through food hampers and essential assistive aids, whenever required.
The Ministry continues its heartfelt tradition of honouring centenarians across the nation, ensuring these venerable citizens are celebrated with the recognition they so richly deserve.

Born to Kate Geraldine and Charles McLean on June 5, 1925, Ms. Burgess holds the distinction of being the eldest of 16 children. Her early years were spent in Region Six, where she received her education at Fyrish and Corentyne High School. She began her professional journey as a private tutor for young children.
At age 27, she embarked on a new chapter, marrying and raising a family of 10 children. Granny Burgess continued to embrace life with remarkable vitality and community spirit. She first served as a member of the Fyrish Co-operative Society and later ascended to the esteemed position of Chairwoman of the Fyrish/Gibraltar Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).
Her achievements were far from over. In a testament to her pioneering spirit, she was awarded a prestigious scholarship to Germany in 1979 to pursue a Diploma in Agriculture— notably, the only female recipient at the time.
Granny Burgess’s sweet and charming spirit is a constant source of joy to her 20 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Her personal passions include reading, knitting, singing, and the tranquillity of gardening, with Enid Blyton being one of her cherished authors.
As of writing this, Granny Burgess is now 36,528 days old.

WIIN Program Empowers Women Through Free Education
Another of the Human Services and Social Security Ministry’s continued upliftment initiatives is its Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) program, also spearheaded by Minister Persaud.
The initiative provides free, high-quality, and practical education to women and girls across Guyana.
Several women have recently shared their inspiring journeys in the program on the ministry’s Facebook page.
Juliet Lall, a 61-year-old participant, shared her heartfelt appreciation.
“I am the oldest person here, but I’ve learned so much. My husband had a stroke, and now I can take care of him so much better. I learned about diabetes, high blood pressure—you are never too old to learn. I’m thankful to the Ministry for giving us these free courses. At other places, you have to pay a lot of money, so I want to thank the Ministry for helping people like us.”
Another participant, teacher Rominie Sankar, also expressed her gratitude.
“I am a teacher, and I have always been open to learning new skills. This program has helped me immensely. I am very happy because it gives women the opportunity to enhance ourselves and feel empowered.”
Through such initiatives, the Ministry continues to pave the way for lifelong learning and support, enriching the lives of Guyanese citizens from all walks of life.
Since the programme’s 2021 introduction, it has seen a large increase in participation.
With WIIN’s successes, the Ministry launched the MPower initiative in May 2024, aiming to provide similar opportunities for men.