On Thursday, the Women’s Leadership Programme (WLP) welcomed the first 12 graduates into what it called its “fraternity of assertive and innovative women leaders,” following a graduation ceremony ushering them into their new roles as “mentors and change-makers.”
This is according to a press release from the WLP, which said that the stage is now set for the 2022 cohort to use the skills gained over the past months “to positively influence others as they join a growing sisterhood of Guyanese leaders who are determined to leverage their training and abilities to enable the growth and development of their businesses, communities and country as they continue on their leadership journey.” According to the release, Co-founder of the WLP and Managing Director of Cerulean Inc. Lyndell Danzie-Black, in her opening remarks at the graduation ceremony said that after the first cohort of leaders completed their 10-month tenure of the WLP, “we have observed growth, confidence and intentional leadership in each participant…We the founders have been charged to continue our quest for molding today and tomorrow’s leaders.” Meanwhile, sharing on the content of the training programme, the release said that the other founding partner Michelle Nicholas, who is also Founder/CEO of the NICO Consulting Inc. said that every curated session gave participants the opportunity to “be authentic, explore deep self-awareness, abide in commitment, advance their outstanding interpersonal skills, and build on their exceptional ability to influence others positively.”
The release said that participants had the opportunity to engage in one-to-one, group-focused conversations with leaders locally and internationally, at their homes, businesses and more and that those conversations bred inspiration, led to new self-awareness and strategies toward effective leadership.
Addressing the graduating class, the release said that British High Commissioner Jane Miller, who shared her experiences with participants during the training, encouraged them to “Get your seat at the table. So that’s my first piece of advice, it’s been useful advice to me throughout my whole career journey. Remember that as you go on. You are valid, you are a woman, you are a woman of power and you are a leader. Claim your seat!”
Meanwhile, US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, who the release said had also shared her experience with participants challenged them to “Continue learning, sharing, growing and do what you can as the High Commissioner said to help other women from your communities. Go out there and mentor them, help them, give them a hand, so they too can have the opportunities that you have had and to unlock their full potential.”
The release said that graduate Shamane Headley, on behalf of her colleagues commended the programme for what she said was “the opportunity to identify our individual and collective skills, expertise and even weaknesses, which forged a bond of sisterhood.” She added, “We will take the lesson of identifying and burning our limiting beliefs with us. Most importantly, the programme emphasized that we need to work on and also take care of ourselves in order to master our journey as women leaders.”
This year’s graduates are: Anju Vivekanandaraj, Beverly Brathwaite-Chan, Bonita Ann Hunter, Caulette Candacy Vanderstoop, Deondra Wishart-Hope, Omattie Madray, Oviah Setra O’Selmo, Sancha La-toya Halley, Shamane Headley, Valini Una Leitch, Vanessa Glasgow and Vassilia Indra Ramcharran.
Apart from High Commissioner Miller and Ambassador Lynch, the release said that the event was also supported through participation by the Ambassador of Suriname to Guyana Liselle Blankendal and Second Secretary and Head of the Chancery of the High Commission of India to Guyana Sunil Kumar Singh.
The release notes that the WLP is a ten-month programme focused on redefining leadership while providing a safe space, mentorship, training, opportunities, building and connecting a community of women leaders across diverse experiences.
Applications to register for WLP 2023 closed on Friday but for more information, contact can be made via the 25 Influential Women Leaders Award Facebook page @25Influentialwomenleadersaward, or email 25influentialwomen@gmail.com or calls can be made to 674-0469 or 647-8100.
