SAFE Guyana, 25IWL assist Linden families with COVID-19 relief

The 25 Influential Women Leaders Organisation (25IWL) has collaborated with SAFE Guyana Inc to distribute hampers to families across Linden who were in need of support during these challenging times.

25IWL 2019 Awardees Setra Oslemo and Stephanie Sinclair made the presentations to families from Wismar and Mackenzie, as the organisations joined in the efforts to lend a helping hand to persons struggling to provide for themselves as economic hardship sweeps across Guyana as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sexual Assault and Family Education (SAFE) Guyana Inc focuses on providing support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and also to individuals struggling with mental health and other welfare issues.
Co-founder of the NGO, Michelle Nicholas noted that the aim is to provide assistance to those in vulnerable situations.
“… over the past weeks, it became apparent that some of the persons engaged by the organisation were facing even greater challenges to support themselves and their dependents as a result of the current COVID-19 restrictions on earnings and movement. Though this is a situation that is not unique to Linden, various organisations have stepped up to assist in other parts of Guyana, and the principals decided that it was time to do what they could for a community, choosing Linden to do so since the community was familiar ground to one of the principals”, she noted.
As such, Nicholas noted that hampers of grocery essentials with a long shelf life, as well as hygiene products, were put together with funding provided by the 25IWL Award organisation. This, she noted, was received with an outpouring of gratitude by the recipients.
Recognising that the 25 hampers provided were nowhere close to addressing the needs and requests the organisation was aware of, Nicholas hopes that the effort will provide encouragement for others to follow.
“As mentioned, Sexual Assault and Family Education (SAFE) Guyana continues to address the welfare concerns of families in Guyana and we are happy to collaborate with the 25 Influential Women Leaders Awardees (25IWLA) to get these hampers to some of the families who need it most right now. Myself, and 25IWLA co-creator, Lyndell Danzie-Black are committed to assisting as far as resources would allow and look forward to recognising the great work of influential Guyanese women through these awards in years to come”, Nicholas said.
Families at Wismar were the first to receive hampers followed by those on the Mackenzie shore of Linden.
Lindener Setra Oselmo, who is a recipient of the 25 Influential Women Leaders Awards, was one of the facilitators of Monday’s distribution.
Oselmo said it was a privilege to be involved in the process. The families also expressed gratitude for the hampers, noting that it will assist them greatly in these times.
Nicholas, a born Lindener, who presently resides in the United States, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NICO Consulting Inc. She also co-founded the 25IWL Award programme along with Cerulean Inc Managing Director, Lyndell Danzie-Black.
The award recognises the successes of national, regional and city women leaders, honouring trailblazers from CEOs to small business entrepreneurs to social advocates who are moving their companies and communities forward in the public, private or non-profit sectors.
Nicholas related that NICO Consulting Inc and Cerulean Inc were very pleased to offer whatever limited support they could muster at this time, and again urged anyone who was in a position to assist to seek out ways to contribute to families in need. Presenting sponsors for the upcoming 25 Influential Women Leaders Award include Symmetry Brokerage and Logistic Services Inc, Strategic Recruitment Solution Inc and CAMEX.