Recover Guyana, Scotiabank, Van Oord launch ‘ENGAGE’

…$2M in grants for top 10 business ideas

Scotiabank, Recover Guyana, and Van Oord have launched ENGAGE on Thursday.
ENGAGE is a green entrepreneurship programme that is designed to empower youths across Guyana with tools, resources and knowledge to initiate and maintain environmentally- sustainable businesses in eco-tourism, renewable energy, waste management, organic farming, and more.
ENGAGE is an initiative that would train over 150 Guyanese youths between 16 and 35 years old in green technologies, eco-friendly innovations, and sustainable business practices.
ENGAGE is offering up to $2 million in grants to support the most viable and promising business ideas.
During the launch of ENGAGE, President of Recover Guyana, Dr Dave Lalltoo, expounded on the vision behind this initiative, which he described as basically providing young people with the opportunity to make their business plans come to fruition.

“Our mission is to provide young entrepreneurs with the tools they need to turn their dreams into reality: knowledge, mentorship, and resources to create businesses that are profitable and environmentally sustainable,” he said. “At the heart of the ENGAGE project is the vision of a greener Guyana, a country where the next generation of entrepreneurs leads the way in innovation, sustainability, and economic growth, targeting unemployment and conservation.”
He then revealed that scores of applications have already been received, and said, “I’m thrilled to share that in Region Three alone, we have already received 133 applications. In Region Six, the numbers are even higher, with 225 applications to date, and another 250 applications through the regional physical database via Recover Guyana.”
It has also been understood that, through the Learning Lab, participants would develop business profiles, create actionable plans, and register their enterprises. In this regard, Recover Guyana is proud to announce that grants would be available to support the most promising green business ideas.
Dr Lalltoo has highlighted the commitment to fostering innovation, environmental protection, and community resilience through the ENGAGE project and other initiatives.
“By providing tailored training (and) mentorship, and funding opportunities, ENGAGE equips young people with the tools to turn their green business ideas into reality; creating lasting change for themselves, their communities, and Guyana as a whole,” he explained.
At the event held to launch ENGAGE, Nafeeza Gaffoor, Country Manager of Scotiabank Guyana, expressed profound gratitude at being able to collaborate with Recover Guyana to launch this initiative. She said, “Scotiabank is pleased to collaborate with Recover Guyana on its ENGAGE project, helping to provide opportunities for young people to build their skills, while at the same time promoting environmental sustainability. We are committed to investing in initiatives that help people rise up, become better off, and change their circumstances so they can have successful futures. The ENGAGE Project not only aligns well with this focus, but also helps our young people learn sustainable practices, encouraging greener communities.”
Declaring that Scotiabank believes there is great importance in investing in the lives of Guyana’s youths, Gaffoor said, “At Scotiabank, we recognize that long-term prosperity in our communities depends on future generations. When young people in the community succeed, families, businesses and entire societies benefit for years to come. By helping everyone build a stronger future, we can build a stronger world together.”
ENGAGE will be piloted in January 2025, targeting 150 youth from Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne) through training and mentorship programmes. At its core, the project offers a comprehensive learning environment, providing skills, resources, and networks needed to start and scale successful eco-friendly business models.
Building on Recover Guyana’s commitment to environmental sustainability, ENGAGE forecasts nationwide expansion to all regions by 2026, creating a robust and widespread movement of young entrepreneurs.
This pilot phase is at a cost of approximately $20 million.