Visually impaired youth gain life skills at GCOPD Day Camp backed by ExxonMobil

The Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), in partnership with the Region Six Education Department and with support from ExxonMobil Guyana and the Board of Industrial Training, on Friday hosted the closing ceremony for its Independent Living Skills Day Camp for children who are blind or visually impaired. The ceremony marked the conclusion of a three-day camp held at the Empower Guyana Building in Palmira, Region Six, where 20 children participated in a range of interactive and skill-building activities aimed at promoting independence and social inclusion. Delivering remarks at the closing event were ExxonMobil Guyana’s Community Relations Advisor, Lasawhna Prescott; GCOPD Programme Manager, Ganesh Singh; Special Education Needs (SEN) Officer for Region Six, Hulda Fraser; and GCOPD Programme Officer, Rosemarie Ramitt.
Providing a summary of the camp’s activities, Ms Ramitt noted that the initiative aimed to equip blind and visually impaired children with essential independent living skills through practical and inclusive sessions. The programme featured training in kitchen use with adapted techniques and talking devices, a day of sports including blind cricket, blind football, and goalball, as well as modules on public speaking, social etiquette, and assistive technologies. In his address, Singh emphasised the importance of teaching children with visual impairments essential life skills during their formative years, noting that this training lays the foundation for greater independence and confidence. He also highlighted the broader impact of the ExxonMobil Guyana-funded Orientation and Mobility Programme, through which GCOPD has reached approximately 700 blind and visually impaired individuals, including children, since its inception. “These initiatives are not just about learning to use a white cane or a smartphone with text-to-speech software. They are about ensuring equal opportunities and fostering a society where inclusion is the norm, not the exception,” Singh stated. Fraser underscored the role of the SEN Unit within the Region Six Department of Education in supporting children with disabilities. She commended the collaborative approach taken in executing the camp, and affirmed the department’s continued support for inclusive education and skills training. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil Guyana representative Lasawhna Prescott lauded the GCOPD for its consistent efforts to deliver impactful programmes that meet the goals of inclusivity and empowerment. “For people living with visual impairments, having access to resources, information and support that encourage inclusion can truly change lives,” she said.
Prescott also expressed gratitude to the trainers, the Ministry of Education, and the Board of Industrial Training for their contributions to the initiative, which she described as an example of “inclusion at every level.”
The Independent Living Skills Day Camp forms part of GCOPD’s Orientation and Mobility training programme, funded by ExxonMobil Guyana. The programme is designed to empower blind and visually impaired persons across Guyana by providing them with practical tools and skills to navigate their environments independently.