Presentation to

Women of Mission International (WOMI) Annual Women Empowerment Conference

Egbert Benjamin Centre, Linden,
24 July 2015
Madam Chairperson;
Ms. Linda Felix-Johnson, President, Women of Mission International;
Members of WOMI;
Distinguished guests;
Members of the media;
Ladies and Gentleman.
First, I wish to thank Ms. Felix-Johnson for according me the privilege and honour of addressing this
Conference today. I could do nothing but accept her kind invitation when I read about the commitment of
this organisation, which seeks to empower the women of this community and their children through
education, and through community outreach programmes. Indeed, the WOMI mission is
...to provide education, health and support services to women who are in disadvantaged positions due to
poverty [and] homelessness, HIV/AIDS infection and domestic violence.
I know that WOMI has been busy during this week with its medical mission at the Linden Hospital
Complex and its community outreach at the One Mile Community Centre. And today, we are gathered
here at the Egbert Benjamin Centre at this Annual Women Empowerment Conference which is being held
under the theme, "What is your Purpose?"
As I was contemplating what I should say on this special occasion, I thought of the situation of women in
Guyana and specifically, here in Linden, and I was once again struck by the many and diverse roles often
unsung which we women play in the lives of our families and our communities.
I thought of the three Linden Martyrs - whose lives were brutally cut short just over one year ago
leaving their mothers, sisters, children and other relatives to grieve and to go on without their presence,
support and comfort.
I thought of the 13 women who were killed by their husbands or boyfriends last year, 10 of whom were
thirty-years-old and under. Of these, four had not yet celebrated their nineteenth birthday: Raveena Cozier
of Kuru Kururu was just 16 when she was stabbed by her reputed husband; Oneida Greaves of Angoy's
Avenue, New Amsterdam, 18 years old, was knifed by the father of her baby; Latoya Adams of Sisters
Village, East Bank Berbice, a mere 14 years old, was knifed by her lover; and Shontel Callender of La
Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, 16 years old, was severely burnt by her boyfriend. These young
girls had their lives snuffed out, their dreams diminished, before they could have reached their full potential
or indeed, fulfilled their purpose in life.
I thought of the situation facing poor young women, who are trafficked, or lured into mining areas with

promises of a job but end up being prostituted. I thought of adolescent mothers who are condemned to
poverty because they dropped out of school when they became pregnant and are condemned to menial lives
as low wage workers, often exploited by their bosses. At this point, it is worth noting that nearly 25
percent of the babies delivered are to girls 19 years old and under. Of this number, about one percent of
the babies are delivered to girls 15 years old and under. In 2014, 88 girls under 15 years of age gave birth to
babies in Guyana.
I thought also of women and girls who dropped out of school whether because of pregnancy, or to care for
their younger sisters and brothers while their mother went to work, or may have completed primary school
but are unable to read or write or count. I thought of how these girls and women are made to feel that they
and their lives lack value, that they lack purpose.
I thought of the girls and women who work as farmers and business women, in offices and restaurants and
shops and gas stations, as security guards earning minimum wage, who are subject to abuse and sexual
assault by their supervisors and employers, who are holding on because they need the lil wuk. I thought of
the many unemployed women and girls whose lives are a daily struggle.
Then there are those among us who are not safe in their homes: they are victims of domestic violence and
sexual abuse, sometimes becoming infected with HIV/AIDS or various sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs).
This is why I believe that conferences such as this, and the work of organisations such as WOMI, can bring
about the change we need in our society, helping girls and women to achieve their full potential and
following the road they want to travel. Every life has purpose. Every life has value. Too often, we women
and girls undervalue ourselves. We think that we know nothing, can do nothing, do not contribute anything
of value to our families, our communities and our country. And we allow others to control us, to tell us
who we are, what we can do, and where we should go.
I am here to say that that is not so. Every girl and every woman is unique in her own way. She lives a life of
purpose. She is a care-giver, looking after her parents, sisters and brothers, children and, of course, her
husband or partner. She is a teacher, showing her children, nephews and nieces, and even the neighbours
children or her siblings how to behave, do things in the correct way. She is an economist and financial
manager, working out ways to stretch that dollar to put food on the table, pay the bills, set aside some
money for transportation. And she plays many other roles, for example, as the peace maker in disputes
among family and friends; a counsellor, doling out advice.
With education, we learn who we are and what we can be. We learn to know and value ourselves. Why not
think if I can make chipped sugar cake and rock cress, I might get some training to make these things in
large enough quantities and sell them to shops in Linden and Georgetown. I can seek training so that I can
learn about quality control and how to package and market my product and manage my business so that I
make a profit. I can learn a craft. I can teach a craft. The possibilities are endless.
Just over a week ago, I was talking with some women in Lusignan, and when the discussion came around to

what skills they had, every woman there claimed not to have any particular skills. Then a little girl sitting
next to her mother piped up, "she makes the best chicken foot." Afterwards another woman said she did
not have time since she had been caring for her elderly mother for several years. Another woman talked
about planting a kitchen garden and taking her produce to the roadside to sell. Another talked about her
dressmaking. Another talked about her catering. Yet these women did not seem to think that these were
achievements. The fact is, they are. They did not recognise the purpose in their lives.
In Guyana today, women make up over 50 per cent of the population. As we look around 269 women are
dredge owners in the mining sector; women make up 31 per cent of self-employed and are the majority of
the persons teaching or in administration in the education sector. They are judges and magistrates and
permanent secretaries, directors and chief executive officers. These data indicate that some girls and
women have aspired. They seized the opportunities that presented themselves.
The point of all of this is to show that every one of us has God-given talents, and our purpose is to fully
develop and use those talents to the best of our ability. To grow those talents, we need to first, believe in
ourselves to know that our lives have value. Second, we need to recognise that we ought not to be
content with where we are and what we have. We deserve more. Third, we must educate ourselves so that
our skills and talents may be developed to the fullest. In this way, we will be able to say that we have
achieved our purpose.
So this morning, while we contemplate the theme of this conference, I hope that we will realise that our
lives, individually and collectively, do have purpose, can be satisfying, can be full of achievement and can
bring us hope and happiness.
I wish you much success in your deliberations today.
Thank you.