NGO providing hope, opportunity for Berbicians to obtain a skill
Dozens of persons in Berbice have benefitted from practical skills training provided by the non-governmental organisation, Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc, as the body aims to change the fortunes for persons in the Ancient County by offering a skill set and a second chance to make a living.
Over the years, persons have benefitted from training provided in the areas of sewing, cooking, culinary arts, cake-decorating, information technology and electrical installation. “We even had a doctor who enrolled in our cosmetology training because she wanted to learn that particular skill,” head of the mission, Suresh Sugrim told Guyana Times recently.
Participants who benefitted from a culinary skills training course
Sugrim said the body has been assisting the less fortunate in Guyana for years but he noted that while in the past the body provided funding to persons to offset costs which have been beyond their pockets, the organisation decided that it should boost its services by providing services to persons via training sessions.
He said the vision of the Humanitarian Mission has always been to serve but he noted that that while providing handouts to those in need may change someone’s life, it does not provide an opportunity for them to move forward.
Nail technician course participants during a training session
In August 2015, after several years of construction, the training facility finally opened its doors. Sugrim said more than 173 individuals graduated from the facility at Ankerville, Port Mourant, in 2021 and during that year the organisation upped its ante by introducing information technology and hospitality training. “The persons who did not have an opportunity now have something,” he said.
Free training
Sugrim explained that while most of the training has been undertaken free of cost, the body decided to pay its trainers, who number more than 75, a small stipend since such persons were dedicating much of their time free of cost. Noting that most of the trainers are women, Sugrim said too that the organisation survives on donations from its local and international partners and according to him, such persons have generously donated towards the worthy cause.
From the inception, persons 13 years and older have benefitted from the training provided by the entity. Participants hail from areas along the Corentyne Coast stretching as far as Skeldon and New Amsterdam
This teenager who was awaiting her CXC results decided to enrol in the sewing training course offered by the centre
In terms of future plans of the facility, Sugrim said that the organisation will be looking for individuals to undertake welding and electrical training among other fields. He said too that there are plans to undertake training sessions with persons who are not literate.
Feedback
Sugrim said that since the mission started its skills training programmes, many of the graduates have started their own businesses. Some persons have started and have fully functional cake-decorating businesses, cosmetology, and cooking as well as sewing businesses. Some of the participants told Guyana Times that the programme offered by the Port Mourant facility has changed their lives.
Sugrim noted too that a number of females have taken up the challenge of learning trades which are not necessarily taken up by females. “We break the gender base mould whereby we have females in the electrical installation classes who are learning and getting the adequate knowledge for that field,” he said.
He noted too that while most of the participants have been females, a number of males have been enrolled in the programmes over the years. These include persons who are now barbers with businesses. “They are now able to do something worthy,” he added. It was noted too that a medical doctor decided to enrol in the cosmetology programme several weeks ago since according to her, she wanted to learn more about that field. “Imagine I have a degree in medicine and I do not know anything about taking care of my own face and applying make-up, so this is a plus for me, it is a bonus and I have learnt a great lot,” she noted during a video presentation at the training centre recently.
According to the organisation’s Facebook page, it will empower people to achieve their fullest status of independence through life skills education. “We are passionate about helping each person to attain the lofty quality of life possible by breaking the cycle of poverty and expanding their human dignity and self-worth to improve their station of life,” the organisation states. (Alva Solomon)
