Express Guyana will be hosting their first recital for the Performing Arts Programme at West Demerara Secondary School tomorrow (Sunday September 3rd) and it is expected that their students will showcase what they have learned for the past three months.
Express Guyana is a young non-governmental organization (NGO) created to help improve the quality of life of youth and other community members on the West Bank of Demerara. Its aim is to improve the health and social well-being of Guyanese within the region. The organisation hopes that through its interventions, the prevalence and impact of societal challenges will decline. After being in existence as a voluntary group for four years, the founders realised it was time to streamline their offerings to influence the emotional, social, economic and physical aspects of their communities in a strategic way. As a result, the organisation now offers opportunities for healthier living through the educational, performance and lifestyle interventions.
One such intervention is the Performing Arts Programme launched in May of this year. Through a grant secured from the Australian Direct Aid Programme, Express Guyana was able to procure the instruments and equipment necessary to gift West Bank youths and community members with quality practical and theoretical tutoring in the keyboard, guitar and drums, at a cost substantially below its worth. Musical tutoring services for the programme are provided by the team at Music Unlimited. To date, the programme has thirty six active members improving their skills on a weekly basis, with a capacity for expansion to ninety persons.
The budding performers and musicians not only have fun, but are provided a safe space for freedom of expression, character development and improved self-confidence.
A free Marriage Enrichment Programme is also offered by Express Guyana that helps to equip married couples with the tools to improve their relationships and resolve conflicts in a manner that still fosters love. A school intervention programme targeting primary and secondary schools on the West Bank with the knowledge and skills to cope with social issues – such as suicide, drug abuse and domestic violence – will be launched in the near future.
The efforts of the organisation doesn’t stop there as it also seeks to address social issues such as suicide, domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, racism and discrimination through written words and the performing arts. They also aim to improve the educational, social and moral standards of children, youth, women and men, through targeted programmes designed to address the needs of each group. Further, they work to improve the health and well-being of Guyanese citizens, through wellness-based initiatives and to assist in the provision of basic needs of marginalized groups, including the homeless and underprivileged youth.
The organisation is also in the process of signing students up for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) Grade 1 examination. This is an internationally acclaimed examination for musicians that have the potential to aid with school entry requirements at international universities.
Tomorrow’s event is free and is open to the public to support the students as they grow in their varying art forms and holistically. The event begins at 5pm prompt.
Persons interested in being a part of the organization or contributing to their success, can contact Express Guyana on telephone numbers 672-8909 or 671-7705.
