By Venessa Deosaran 

Children at the group's Christmas party enjoying their gifts

The U&Me organisation, located in Linden, aims to help reduce the many afflictions faced by persons stricken by poverty, those affected by HIV/AIDS/STIs and to help persons in areas of abuse and other social issues, empowering them to lead better lives.

The organisation was founded from its president, Neil Whyte, appreciation for the community of Linden.

He readily offered to help in whatever way he could and in December 2001 held a Christmas party for needy children and shared food hampers to many families.

From then on, the organisation continues to have their annual Christmas parties and hampers distribution.

At the parties, they are able to give out hundreds of food hampers and students receive school supplies and toys.

Each year since 2001, the group keeps growing with many more volunteers offering their time and energy in an effort to help the less fortunate.

The organisation was registered as a non-governmental organisation under the Friendly Societies Act on July 21, 2005.

Over the past years, the members have donated to various communities in Linden and held many fun activities. The group received over 40,000 school and reading books from an NGO in Canada, ‘Empower Youth Society of Canada’. These books were donated to all the schools and institutes in Linden, Kwakwani, Ituni, University of Guyana and the Sacred Heart School when they relocated due to a fire in December 2004.

U&Me Organisation focuses on four areas to make valuable contributions: sport, health, education and culture. Recently, it was able to secure an office space at 170 Washer Pond Road and Causarina Drive (Linmine main office building).

At the office, the organisation opened a library and an information centre on HIV/ AIDS and ‘social issues references’ for everyone.

They have also trained 13 volunteers as peer educators and counsellors and will be training another batch very soon. At present, the organisation has over 45 volunteers.

They also collaborate with the National Aids Programme Secretariat in Georgetown in ad vocating safe sex.

A recent donation of three computers was instrumental. The organisation was able to use these to design and prepare flyers and other materials which are usually distributed at numerous workshops and schools.

Future plans

The organisation plans to acquire some sewing machines which would be very instrumental in starting sewing classes for parents.

Through this venture an income can be earned. Additionally, the group wishes for more computers to hold classes for youths and adults.

An art and craft class is another goal of the organisation. These programmes require much funding and the members are urging those who can contribute to do so, helping them to fulfill their goals.

Various workshops on HIV/ AIDS/ STIs and other social issues such as abuse, teenage pregnancy, peer pressure, parenting, drugs and alcohol have been held in and around Linden. This year, the group has held quarterly workshops in Murtario and Coomaka, Linden. Soon, the members will also be working in the Old England and Three Friends areas; these are all riverein communities in (Linden).

The organisation was present at the Linden Town Week last year. A booth advertising its work caught the eyes of many.

Members were able to hand out condoms, flyers, brochures, and posters. This year will be no different. Their presence at the Linden Town Week will significantly help in advertising their work.

Currently, there are volunteers from the organsation at the National Library in Linden conducting a literacy programme every Saturday from 10:00 hours to 12:00 hours. A programme to work with the Linden hospital is in planning stages. The group will be working with the HIV/AIDS patients, families and friends and with the hospital staff sensitising them on HIV/AIDS counselling, care and support.

Very soon the group is expected to commence work with the schools in Linden addressing social issues affecting the community. This year, the group has embarked on its journey towards accomplishing their goals. With the commitment, support and opinions received, they will be able to continue on their path of humanitarian work. Capacity building of volunteers continues to be priority as the organisation seeks to expand its reach and provide quality services.n. (Taken from Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

An inspiring grandmother compiles her favourite childhood stories into books for granddaughter

By Venessa Deosaran

Gangaram displaying her books

Overseas-based Guyanese author of children books, Norma Gangaram has published over twenty one books with the aim of penning all the stories she heard as a child and passing these on for future generations to appreciate.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, the writer said she was born in Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara.

She clearly remembers her home facing the Demerara River and the beauty of it. She attended Diamond Government School then Covent Garden High School. Gangaram was trained as a nurse at the Georgetown hospital.

In 1972, she migrated to Canada because of a lag in the economy back then and wanting a better life in which to raise her family; the opportunity presented itself, and she grabbed it.

However, she has not forgotten her years in Guyana. “My fondest memory was my school day and the wonderful head master I was privileged to have, Mr. Vere T. Daley. He was the greatest storyteller with an enchanted voice. It was from his history lessons that I came to embrace the history of Guyana. Every Friday, the last session of the week, he had a general assembly and talked to us all as if we were his children.

He was like a father to us all. He loved his job and did his best to keep us informed on every subject including religion and history,” she reflected.

Gangaram said she always wanted to write but due to a busy life-style of working and raising a family, she did not find the time. When Gangaram’s granddaughter was born, the passing on of her heritage to the child was pivotal. With the urging of her daughter Cindy and the encouragement from her husband Rolly, she began writing. Her husband bought a laptop and said to her, “Here you go, start writing; I am here for you if you need me.” This motivated the author to the point of publishing her first book, ‘Fables & Tales of Guyana’. “I have three children: my late son Andrew, second son Terry and my daughter Cindy, and their spouses.

Because of the busy lifestyle, I neglected to pass on to my children some childhood stories which were told to me by my mother on a starry moonlight night on the front porch. These stories were told to me on Friday or Saturday nights when my father was working the evening shift. They bring back fond memories of my childhood and the evening snacks of freshly made plantain chips, fresh hot-roasted peanuts, ice cold mauby and cream soda mixed with carnation milk with lots of ice were some of the things I enjoyed as a child,” Gangaram reminisced.

The Mango Tree House

The Mango Tree House started as a need to have a name for her website to advertise her books. In Guyana, every home she lived in had a mango tree in the yard along with the fact that she loves the fruit and so the name came to her. She felt the name gave the website a tropical flavour which is what she intended it to be.

“My aim for writing these stories is to share with the younger generation, whether it is young Guyanese or first-generation Guyanese/ Canadian, to have a look at what life in Guyana was once like. However, the main reason was to leave a legacy for my grandchildren and for them to know their roots. Also to understand the courage it took for me to leave behind a carefree life for a life in Canada, which is far from carefree. For them to understand the sacrifices it took for them to enjoy the life they now have,” the inspirational grandmother said.

Book series

Gangaram is currently working on another book series, ‘Bubbles You Are Special’. There are seven volumes to this series. It is the story about a young girl who is being sexually abused, however she finds a unique way to deal with her sadness by reading.

The Anansi stories are Gangaram’s favourite. She has written ten volumes of them, many of which are her own. There is always a spin on his character, portraying him as a very caring spider instead of always being a mischievous one.

The writer is slowly working on eleven books which are yet to be published.

Her captivating stories for children are fun and educational. At first, she penned stories about growing up in ‘the good old days’. She has thus followed up with an adventure series of ‘Brer Anansi The Trickster’ with a specific moral at the end of each story. These stories are fun filled escapades with lessons on honesty, trust, integrity, and self-esteem.

The author’s goal is to provide stories for children that they can enjoy and want to hear over and over again. Whether they are curled up in a comfy chair with daddy or as part of their bedtime routine, these stories will be a hit to every child, no matter how old.

To read more about the author and her books visit www.childrensstories.ca (Taken from Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Rhona Fox is a dynamic U. S. based-Guyanese actress living her dreams in the glitzy world of Hollywood

By Venessa Deosaran

Assasin, Rhona Fox, and Kevin Lyttle in New York

Born in Essequibo, Rhona Fox is an accomplished actress, producer and editor in the U.S. who is very proud of her heritage. In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Fox said she was raised all over Guyana. Her father was a high school principal and his specialty was upgrading school systems so her family moved around a lot. Her mother was also a teacher and as a result, Fox attended several primary schools in six years.

“I have tons of fond childhood memories of Guyana. They include having my own cow in Essequibo – my parents wanted me to have fresh milk so they bought me a cow. We also raised our own livestock – chickens, turkeys, goats, sheep, and ducks – so we had fresh eggs and meat, and also had our own garden. I also love the black water lake in Essequibo also the Amerindians and their native dishes like cassava bread. Most of all I missed the authentic cuisine: Guyanese curries, and Guyanese-Chinese fare. It doesn’t taste the same over here. I also miss the local produce and long for Guyanese cashews, jamoon and star apple,” she said nostalgically.

Fox was raised in Anna Regina, as well as in Demerara and Berbice. Her family then moved to Georgetown where she and her two brothers attended Queens College. Fox was in Form One when she and her family moved to Nassau, Bahamas. There she completed her high school education.

Playing a doctor on NBC's 'Law & Order SVU'

“I migrated when my parents moved to Nassau to teach there. They always wanted to send us to university overseas but couldn’t afford it on their teaching salaries in Guyana. When the opportunity arose for them to gain employment in the Bahamas, I recalled it was a very difficult decision for my parents. I was 10 years old. They had to give everything up and leave their family to move to this strange land. Thankfully it worked out for us. They currently live in Florida and are still teaching,” stated Fox.

Achievements

Fox and her family then moved to New York where she pursued her studies, graduating with a degree in Communication with a minor in Economics from the State University of New York at Albany. She was also the editor of the student newspaper for two years, which more transitioned into her career following college.

Additionally, Fox is a member of SAGAFTRA, the Screen Actors Guild and the union for film and TV actors. She spends much time also taking acting classes, so acting is on-going, constant study, as well as hunt for work. Fox finds it hectic to chase auditions and land new acting gigs, however it is her passion and she is chasing it.

Fox was a producer for television networks ABC and FOX. She later became the editor of a national magazine in the U.S. called ‘Jamrock Magazine’, where she wrote cover stories with the likes of Wyclef and Shaggy.

In 2007, Fox started a music media marketing agency called ‘FOX FUSE’. Through her company she has done everything from publicity to production of music videos for clients. Her production end, Fox Flicks, has produced videos for artistes like reggae stars Gyptian and Capleton. She has also worked with Machel Montano as his personal publicist for three years and toured a lot of the Caribbean islands with him.

Although engrossed in so much professionally, the philanthropist started ‘The Rhona Fox Foundation’ which is still in its elementary stages. Her mission, she stated, has always been to help women and children, especially victims of domestic violence. Growing up in Guyana, Fox said she remembered it was a prevalent issue. She regularly donates clothing to women and recently sent clothing to Senegal, Africa. She has also done work with international reggae star Shaggy, who also has a foundation, to get toys to children in the U. S. and Jamaica. One day, she hopes to bring those efforts to Guyana.

Rhona and one of her clients, Shaggy

Fox’s acting career highlights included shooting a commercial with Spike Lee, famous American film producer, as the director.

Fox also regularly stand-in for the only two Indian actresses on TV, for productions that shoot in New York. She acts as Archie Panjabi on ‘The Good Wife’ (CBS), and Reshma Shetty on ‘Royal Pains’ (USA Network).

“Standing-in for a principal means you are pretty much their body double – you rehearse with the crew, they use you to set up all the shots, you read the lines and so on. Then when the principal is ready, they step into our spot and the camera shoots them. So that’s what I’m currently doing, and it’s hands-on experience.

I’m on their schedule and I’m doing everything they do. It’s a rare gig because you have to be the same race and have the features and hair length and colour as the actor. It’s rare to get that job as an Indian actor, because there aren’t that many Indian actors on TV in the U.S. and only two in New York,” Fox divulged.

Recently, Fox appeared as a nurse on ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’. She will also be playing a nurse in a new movie called ‘The Bitter Pill’, starring Jude Law and Catherine Zeta- Jones, currently shooting in New York. She was also recently featured on the homepage of Yahoo as a doctor in their ‘Healthy Habits’ headline story. Fox said it was “pretty cool” as it was worldwide and not just the U.S.

Future plans

Fox’s goal is to land a regular role as a nurse or doctor on a TV show that shoots in New York. The 32-year-old said she is glad she got into the industry a bit late, because she is more grounded and will not lose her head with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood life.

In the music aspect of her life, Fox is currently working on Wayne Wonder’s new album, which will be released worldwide on July 24 by her FOX FUSE company. Her client, Shaggy, will also launch his label and she is presently working on the public relations part of that. Her company is also part of Pitbull’s team, so they are always promoting his new singles on radio stations around the world.

Her advice

What is the recipe for Fox’s success? Drive.”When we moved to the Bahamas, my dad would always say if we don’t work hard in school, he’ll send us back to Guyana and we’ll have to work on a farm. He was kidding, but at the time, it instilled in my siblings and I, a fear that we had to make it. My brother Sean is a Civil Engineer in Manhattan and my brother Ron works for GE as a Biomedical Engineer. So they are both really successful.

I’m the black sheep of the family and definitely chose the path less traveled. However, my drive to ‘make it’ burns ever brighter!” a determined Fox said.

Fox’s dream was not to migrate to have a ‘better life’; she just dreamt big and always imagined living in New York and somehow that happened. She always wanted to make something of herself after leaving Guyana, with the hope of going back one day to help impact and inspire someone there, and that’s happening right now, she said. Her advice is to not necessarily migrate for a better life but to learn everything one can from each situation they are in, and use that to build the future they dream of.

“Live your dreams don’t sleep on them. Sadly, I’ve never visited Guyana since I left. I definitely want to come back. My boyfriend is American and I’d love to bring him and introduce him to what I call ‘the motherland’. He loves Guyanese food and music so it will be great when I do return, hopefully soon. I always tell people I’m from Guyana. I’m very proud of my heritage,” she said appreciatively. (Taken from Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Bookmark It

Hide Sites