Onika Jarvis describes Strive592 as a movement mobilising people to “walk, run, move.” She noted that two years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she saw an opportunity to bring people together and form a community focused on well-being.
Having recently returned from the United States, Jarvis said she observed many Guyanese who appeared unhappy and stressed. This observation, which she described as overwhelming, reminded her of how becoming a runner had transformed her life both socially and health-wise. She explained that committing to running, forming camaraderie with many people, and training for the New York City Marathon made her realise that she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. She described the marathon as a “metaphor for life: you put the work in and you get the results.”
She began running in New York and said part of the reason was fundraising for leukaemia and lymphoma and she fell in love with it. That was 11 years ago. Having experienced such a transformative impact in her own life, she believes that this is something the Guyanese community needs. She aims to develop a public culture of moving together. In addition to wanting to form a health-conscious public society, Jarvis mentioned that the project is nostalgic for her. She reminisced about her sporting days at the Bishops’ High School and the fun memories they brought her.
However, unlike sports, she stressed that Strive592 is not about competitiveness. The group is solely focused on promoting movement towards a healthier lifestyle. Jarvis mentioned that she hoped the Guyanese work environment will also recognize the benefits of having a health-conscious workforce, especially given Guyana’s rapid development and the common saying, “fastest developing economy.” She questioned what this phrase would mean for workers, suggesting that it creates significant external pressure to live up to. This pressure, she noted, could trickle down to the workers.
Jarvis said both employees and employers could benefit. Being more health conscious could possibly save someone a trip to the doctor and a healthy workforce, physically and mentally could also improve productivity, Jarvis stressed. She said she hoped companies would see the benefits of a holistic approach to their productivity and also focus on the physical and mental health of their workers.
The group holds most of their running sessions in the National Park due to its central location. Despite limited publicity, people have started to join and are already enjoying the activities. Jarvis noted that joining Strive592 is free because she wants the community to be accessible to everyone. The group meets several times a week, and after every four to five months, celebrate progress with a five-kilometre run. She emphasised that Strive592 was not just for running, people could also walk. Jarvis described this as the beauty of Strive592: anyone could be part of it, regardless of where they are in their fitness journey.
Believing that all movement leads to better cardiovascular health, the group recently launched a Socaheart project. Jarvis said she hoped that over the next three years, they could reach the goal of 90,000 participants. This year, they aim to raise $5 million for a research and community engagement fund.
In the next ten weeks, the group will conduct an awareness campaign where people will share their journeys with heart disease and educate the public about healthier lifestyles. Jarvis hopes to increase Guyana’s understanding of how cardiovascular disease and other non-communicable diseases affect the community.
The group will also hold a five-kilometre run on September 29th, World Heart Day. To prepare for this event, they will offer free training for ten weeks. This project is being executed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Caribbean Heart Institute, and the Georgetown Public Hospital Cardiology Department. Jarvis expressed gratitude for the volunteers and corporations that have supported the programme so far, but noted that more could be done to strengthen the movement.
