First Lady Sandra Granger yesterday launched the ANIRA Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at the empowerment and education of vulnerable groups, including young women.
According to a Ministry of the Presidency release, Mrs Granger, in her feature address said the idea for forming the Foundation was conceptualised in 2017. “I began thinking two years ago about what I could do to continue the work I had begun and to use the experiences I had gained, while I was First Lady, in reaching out to people and continuing the work. The aim is to educate and empower people because if we do not educate people, we are giving them handouts and they will be in the same boat that they were in and they will not be able to manage and make decisions for themselves and this is where the empowerment comes in and this is where we will gather our skills and move forward as a nation,” she was quoted as saying at the launch, which was held at the Cara Lodge.
Mrs Granger, the release said, explained that the Foundation’s name is sentimental as she lived, for a period during her childhood, on Anira Street, in Queenstown. “My memories of Anira Street… are very fond ones and full of positive memories of belonging, sharing and children feeling very safe and comfortable in a neighbourhood watched over by all the adults, regardless of their social status,” she said.
In a statement issued at the launch, the Foundation said it has successfully implemented projects aimed at the empowerment of young women and the education of youth. In particular, it was noted that it has embarked on a project with the Ministries of Public Health and Social Protection, called “Pilots of the Caribbean,” which is aimed at the reduction of teenage pregnancy among vulnerable young women, decreasing the rates of HIV and syphilis among sexually active youth and to immunise vulnerable young women against HPV. “It is not enough to provide access to health services and education, ANIRA will ensure young girls and youth have the requisite skills and knowledge to safeguard their sexual and reproductive health and to secure employment,” Mrs Granger said.
As part of the “Pilots of the Caribbean” project, the Foundation will also focus on increasing the amount of post-pregnant teens who complete school and/or vocational programmes and will aim to bring awareness of gender based violence and its effect on vulnerable women’s exposure to HIV. The said project, according to the statement, falls under the Spouses of the CARICOM Leaders Action Network, of which the First Lady is co-chair, and is being supported at a cost of US $251,000 by the Gilead Foundation.
“Beyond providing access to health services and education, ANIRA aims to place the power of securing good health and the ability to earn an income into the hands of vulnerable groups,” the First Lady said. It was also noted that the foundation is also seeking to foster a passion for STEM and is doing that in collaboration STEM Guyana through the distribution of “Robot Kids” to school-aged youths in Guyana, including the hinterland regions.
The functions of the Foundation will be carried out by a 14-member board of directors along with a project implementation team. The First Lady further said that the foundation exists to assist in securing Guyana’s future and youth by equipping vulnerable groups with the required knowledge. “ANIRA goes beyond my work as First lady to fulfill my lifelong dream of a Guyana where our young people have the knowledge to make healthy choices and can utilise their innate talents and skills to provide for their families,” she added.
