The love for volunteerism and humanitarian work has propelled Ewin Enmore, 39, into becoming an administrator with the Guyana Red Cross Society (GRCS) and the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG). It is a love that he has been trying to instill in others.
“One of the biggest challenges in the GRCS and the PYARG is getting people to understand the value of volunteerism and volunteering. I thought this was local but it is actually a global problem. Volunteerism has lost the humanitarian aspect and it is now more of a business type and looking for gains. That is not volunteerism. Volunteerism is giving of your time without seeking any personal or financial gains,” he said.
In an interview with Stabroek Weekend, Enmore noted when there is a call for volunteers, males do not respond.
“They tend to think it’s all about nursing and females. Me, being there, has influenced some men to volunteer. Taking up the leadership shows other men that it is not something to be macho about. Nursing is only one aspect and it is not limited to women. We have to deal with information technology, disaster response, logistics and other areas that anyone can get involved in. I… have influenced a few males to join the organisation and they did well for themselves in gaining employment both locally and internationally.”
Enmore spent his early childhood in Golden Fleece, Essequibo Coast, climbing trees and swimming in the trenches and the sea. An only child for his mother, he had his primary education at Fisher Primary and Sacred Heart Primary before attending Christ Church Secondary.
When moved to Georgetown his uncle took him to the learn-to-swim classes at Hotel Tower, where the swimming instructors saw some potential in him and recommended that he join a club and train at the Castellani Pool.
“I made (Guyana Teachers’ Union) nationals, took part in one Inter-Guiana Games but I did not like too much of sprints except in the butterfly stroke. I took an interest in open water swimming and competed at Maracas Bay in Trinidad and Tobago. Although I loved distance swimming, I hated swimming distances it in the pool.”
He gave up swimming at 18 years and opted to work. As a secondary school work-study student, he was placed at Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) company at the Beterverwagting Central Office, where on completion of the stint he was given the opportunity to work with GT&T as a technician in the networking department. He subsequently became a customer service representative.
While he was a customer service representative, he became a youth member of the GRCS which opened many doors for him. He learnt first aid, disaster management, search and rescue, and helping persons living with HIV/AIDS.
“I fell in love with humanitarian work and helping people who were vulnerable. When I was about 20 or 21 years, I was asked if I wanted to be the president of the Red Cross Youth Group to push youth development and I took the opportunity. At that time, I was doing a diploma in youth development work through the Commonwealth Youth Programme and the University of Guyana.”
After two and a half years at GT&T, he took up the role as first aid coordinator with the GRCS.
“I enjoyed the role I played, giving first aid, understanding the whole medical aspect in emergencies in regular circumstances and in disasters. I worked with Red Cross from 2000 to 2006 across the different regions of Guyana and enjoying its beauty. We did a lot of work in Mabaruma and in Lethem.”
The 2005 flood was the biggest local disaster Enmore responded to and he saw firsthand the devastation the floods wreaked on communities and families. Taking relief, conducting education and training sessions and community development were all part of the recovery process in Region Four. The flood relief work also extended to Region Two.
He left the GRCS in late 2006 and joined the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), where he stayed for three years. He then returned to GRSC as a volunteer doing humanitarian work in which he found peace and joy, he said.
After leaving the GDF, he volunteered at the GRCS and taught swimming through the Dorado Speed Swim Club. With the GRCS, he was given further training in responding to disasters using information technology and telecommunications, inclusive of radio communications and networking with the International Federation of Red Cross and the regional intervention team, which is a group of experts in the Americas.
“Because of that training, I worked as a full time staffer with the GRCS in the recovery efforts of the 2010 Haitian earthquake. For the first week in Haiti, I could not find a word to define poverty. The disaster on the ground made the floods in Guyana look very, very minor. We had all the International Red Cross bodies working collaboratively and I worked with people from about 50 countries around the world over a three-month period. Knowing that you are making a difference not only in the relief aspect but in communications, logistics, water and sanitation and in psycho-social support was a great learning experience.”
Convalescent home
At the end of 2012, at the behest of the GRCS Secretary General Dorothy Fraser, Enmore took up the post of administrator of the GRCS Children’s Convalescent Home where he still remains.
The convalescent home houses children from five and under who have been abandoned or abused.
The GRCS collaborates with the Child Care and Protection Agency of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to temporarily house the children until they are either reintegrated into their families, fostered or adopted.
“You would be amazed at the difference we would make in the lives of these children. The hardest part is trying not to get attached to them but you do. All they need is care and love.”
He expressed concern about parents abandoning their children. “I know that socio economic conditions could take a toll on a parent or parents but the situation is of grave concern. Even though it is a GRCS programme, getting donors to support the needs of the convalescent home is a challenge. Every little bit counts in creating a safe environment for the children so they can be happy.”
To date the GRCS employs 22 staffers who include caregivers, laundresses and housekeeping staff/cleaners for its round-the-clock operation.
The home has a play school and nursery which allows for early childhood education. The home opens its playschool to children in the neighbourhood in need of some assistance. It also provides breakfast, lunch and dinner to some children attending the Enterprise nursery and who may be in need.
At present the home is accommodating 20 children but it can accommodate a maximum of 25.
According to Enmore, there are many success stories of children who were malnourished or suffered from other ailments and abuse and who are today outstanding professionals and upright citizens.
PYARG
While at the GRCS, he was also involved with PYARG, which was introduced in Guyana in 1998. He joined in 2000 and completed the bronze, silver and gold levels as a participant.
The PYARG is a Duke of Edinburgh International Award non-political initiative which is headquartered in the United Kingdom. It is an activity-based organisation empowering young people through voluntary self-development activities. They take part in a range of activities including physical recreation, skills training, service and adventurous journeys.
“I always looked forward to the adventurous journeys or expeditions, whether it was in Bartica, Lethem or measuring and tagging sea turtles at Shell Beach as part of the conservation efforts, hiking the miles, pitching a tent and cooking our own food and so on.”
After he completed the bronze, silver and gold, he became a leader in 2009.
“I started my own unit, Phoenix, giving young people the opportunity to be part of the programme. At the same time, I was in charge of the Red Cross Youth Group.” Phoenix does an annual blood donation drive with the National Blood Bank. It has a membership of 20 and most of the participants are now adult volunteers who would be called upon from time to time, depending on the activities of the PYARG, to either manage or support other groups.”
While managing the unit, the executive officer asked him to coordinate activities at the office level.
“I became a volunteer field officer. I coordinated expeditions, ensure participants get their activities done and ensured they qualify at all levels. Mind you this was voluntary.”
He transferred many of his skills acquired at the GRCS to the PYARG.
“One of the requirements of the participants is being trained and certified in first aid from the GRCS.”
His appeal to young people is. “Just don’t live, be alive. Make yourself marketable. Learn a skill, a trade. Don’t believe that the world owes you a handout. Be proud of who you are. It goes a far way. People must come looking for you. You must not go looking for them in the job market.”
The good thing about the GRCS and PYARG, he said, is that both allow for the development of young people through volunteerism, promoting a healthy life style and they both can capitalise on each other’s resources.
“We trained the leaders and participants from PYARG and in turn they can volunteer.”
Fitness
Apart from volunteerism, Enmore also has a passion for sports, which has led him to become a strength and conditioning coach, weight lifting and power lifting coach, learn-to-swim instructor/coach/lifeguard and an anti-doping officer with the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation.
After he got into the learn-to-swim programme as a swimming coach and instructor, someone was needed to help swimmers maintain physical fitness.
“When the opportunity arose to teach physical fitness to swimmers, I took it. I also started to play rugby and volleyball to help in cross training with swimming.”
He then started instructing at Hotel Tower gym then moved across to Flex Gym, Kitty where the owner Surendranauth ‘Rudy’ Persaud told him to bring his swimmers and work with them there. “He told me everyone deserves a break. You don’t have to pay for the swimmers.”
He started to work with the swimmers and then with the gym’s clients. The swimming aspect stopped after the COVID-19 measures saw the closure of swimming pools.
“With the shutdown, my wife and I were discussing how to promote healthy lifestyles. How do we help people during the pandemic? She said to me why don’t you try outdoor fitness. That’s where the inspiration came from. We looked at outdoor exercises and persons not being restricted to a square box. From my experience with hiking, we offer outdoor fitness and outdoor adventure. You work and get your fitness level up where you can actually go on a hike, refresh mentally and enjoy the fresh air. I did not expect the high interest in outdoor fitness. I continue the fitness outdoor at D’Urban Park and indoor and outdoor fitness sessions at Flex Gym in Kitty.
At present, he is trying to put together fitness programmes for children above eight years and for senior citizens.
“Fitness does not have an age limit. Seniors are trying to maintain mobility and reduce chances of getting diseases. It’s continuing to have a healthy lifestyle.
At present, Enmore said, the life guarding programme is essential.
“Once the government says we can open the pool, that programme will be restarted. People are drowning and that is something we have been trying to promote for years in terms of water safety, drowning prevention and having certified lifeguards at water parts and pools. We started the life guarding association and tried to promote a swim-to-survive programme in Guyana with the Canadian Life Saving Association.”
He has found that people in some of the riverain communities do not know to swim like they did 15 years or 20 years ago.
“They do not know the basics of swimming. That is why we are trying to promote swim-to-survive and certified life guards. Not just physical fitness on dry land but physical fitness in the water so we have a well-balanced person at the end of the day.”
