“I grew up in poverty. So, I always said, when I grow up, I’m going to work with people who have needs and I’m going to try to help them”
By Milton Grannum
Hailing from a quiet corner in Crane, West Coast Demerara, Maureen Hope lives a life that embodies service, perseverance, and compassion. Recently conferred with the European Union Delegation’s Human Rights Award for her unwavering dedication to empowering the vulnerable, Hope, affectionately known as Miss Maureen, has spent 21 years improving the lives of countless individuals in her community and beyond.
Sitting down with Stabroek News, she humbly described herself as “a simple woman living in the Crane community for the past 38 years.” Hope moved to Crane after she was married and is now a mother of two and a grandmother of two. “I’m originally from Pouderoyen, West Bank,” she said. “I was a housewife before I really got into this. My desire was always to work with people. That is why I did social work.”
Hope’s inspiration for her life’s work is deeply rooted in her childhood experiences of hardship. “I grew up in poverty. We were living in a one-bedroom house, and it wasn’t easy. It was ten of us, and my mom and dad. So, I always said, when I grow up, I’m going to work with people who have needs and I’m going to try to help them. That is where it started from,” she related.
This fuelled her drive to pursue a degree at the University of Guyana in social work. After years of being a stay-at-home mother, she finally took the leap into community service. Starting on a part-time basis in the early 2000s, she dedicated herself to, “service before self. I started helping people in the community, doing whatever I can for them,” she recalled. “Whether it be helping a child get to school financially or giving some guidance to a woman going through a situation.”
Her commitment led her to volunteer with numerous organizations, including Help & Shelter, the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association, Youth Challenge, and Every Child Guyana, and the Georgetown Public Hospital on HIV/AIDS initiatives. She also supported juvenile delinquency programmes in Region Three. In 2018, Hope formalized her own group, Youths with Purpose, which began as a simple Sunday school class. Over the years, it evolved into a vibrant organization that addresses a wide range of issues, from gender-based violence to youth empowerment.
Hope’s work has had a profound impact on vulnerable populations, including domestic violence victims, children in conflict with the law, and migrants. She recounted one particularly rewarding experience of reconnecting with a young woman she had once supported.
“The other day, I met with a doctor. This young woman came and hugged me. I didn’t recognize her at first, but she told me who she was. She said, ‘Miss Maureen, you were one of the persons who went after me when I ran away from home. You encouraged me to continue in school.’ And now she’s a doctor. That makes me feel so proud,” she shared.
Her advocacy also expands to the large migrant community in Guyana. Her work with migrants has been equally transformative. Many migrants, she shared, are exploited by landlords who charge exorbitant prices for substandard living conditions.
“We went into these landlords and ensured those persons were treated better. We worked to get the children into schools, taught them to speak English, and helped Guyanese learn Spanish,” she stated.
One of her organization’s standout initiatives is its sewing programme, which trains women both local and migrant in garment construction.
“We have already trained 45 women, from young to old, to sew everything from skirts to wedding dresses. We have another training starting soon, and it’s all for free,” she added. This programme not only equips women with valuable skills but also provides them with a sense of purpose and independence.
Ambitious vision
Despite her achievements, Hope is not one to rest on her laurels. She continues to advocate for justice, particularly for survivors of child sexual abuse.
“One of the things I would love to see happen is that when there’s a case of child sexual abuse, justice is served. There must be no cover-up. Too many times, the perpetrator pays money, and the case is swept under the rug,” she said.
For all her successes, Hope faces significant challenges, particularly in securing a permanent space. She has been operating out of a borrowed building in Crane, which was recently repurposed by the government.
“For the past 10 years, I’ve been occupying a building near Crane. My late husband and his family started this scheme and so the building that I was occupying, when they were doing the self-help, that building was built for the engineers. And after everything was completed, that building was left here,” she said.
At one point, she and other residents attempted to reconstruct the building for the purpose of a centre, but lost the lot to a school.
“A school was built on the land. It is a double lot, but the school took over almost the entire lot so we don’t have a building right now. So we have been left without a permanent, specific space, but right now, I’m using part of my house downstairs for training. I want to close off the downstairs completely and build a permanent location, but I really need help, since I also have three staff and a volunteer. We need a permanent space,” she noted.
Her vision for a multi-purpose centre is ambitious and includes plans for a voluntary counselling and testing site for HIV/AIDS and a space for medical outreach programmes.
Outside of her work, Hope describes herself as a private, faith-driven woman. “You won’t believe it, Miss Maureen is a stay-at-home woman. I don’t socialize. I’m not a party person. I’m a believer in Christ. I’m doing the work that Jesus did. He went into the highways and byways to meet the destitute,” she said.
Receiving the EU Human Rights Award was a deeply affirming moment, she said, “It gave me a sense of belonging. It makes me feel that, you know, somebody out there recognizes, whereas I did not do this for
recognition. I do this because it’s what I love, because if somebody sees you in that way, and could recognize and give me such a high award, it makes me feel proud to know what I’m doing, that it has touched other people’s lives. It has brought changes to others. And I know that what I’ve done over the years has brought changes.”
Maureen Hope is a testament to the power of compassion and selflessness. Her journey from a childhood of poverty to a life devoted to helping others is nothing short of inspirational and she remains a beacon of hope for those in need.