Reversing the norms; Help and Shelter on warpath against gender-based-violence, child abuse
as Spotlight initiative takes root in Guyana


Prior to 2023, Nathan Abraham like many of his peers at Diamond Secondary School on the East Bank of Demerara had the preconceived idea that Gender-Based Violence was purely physical violence that largely affected adults.
Little did they know that there were at least six types of Gender-Based Violence– physical, verbal, psychological, sexual, and economic abuse as well as harassment, inclusive of sexual harassment – some of which had already crept into the education system and into their homes.
Abraham said it was not until Help and Shelter hosted a public education forum with the Fifth Form students at the Diamond Secondary School in the latter part of 2023, that they understood the magnitude of Gender-Based Violence and its impact on boys and girls including adolescents. They understood then too, that Gender-Based Violence is a type of violence that is directed against a person because of their gender and could be a slap or a cuff or even the inappropriate touching of someone else.
While noting that he has never been a victim of Gender Based Violence, Abraham said during the very interactive session with Help and Shelter, one of his classmates disclosed that he had been a victim of Gender-Based Violence.

“Everybody laughed at him, but after, it affected him in a positive way to learn about his rights, but also teach others that this is not the way it supposed to go,” Abraham said.
For Chanella Smith (not her real name), a 16-year-old student who also attends the Diamond Secondary School, said the public education forum was an eye opener, particularly the long-term impact of Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence on children.
“I attended the programme at Diamond Secondary, and I learned about violence in the home, and how it impacts us in the future. For example, a child may have had a bad experience growing up, but as he or she grows older, it may come at a random age, maybe as old as 60, it comes back, and then that person realizes that they didn’t get over it, especially sexual violence or even abuse. So, it is important to get help, to get therapy,” Smith said.
Another student, Daniel Hudson (not his real name), said he too found the programme to be very helpful.
“We spoke about the effects of abuse, including sexual abuse, which also includes grooming,” Hudson said, while adding that the information provided would undoubtedly help the participants guard against abuse, and seek help and counseling, if needs be.
“It is definitely good for persons, who had such experience because in such a time, you would need someone to lean on, and so, Help and Shelter would be that platform now that such a person can go to get the comfort they might need because more than likely someone might not feel comfortable saying something to a family member, if it was a family member that had done such to them,” Hudson reasoned.
Abraham, Smith and Hudson were three of the many students that Help and Shelter’s Public Education Officer, Kevin Massiah worked with along the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) corridor in Region Four, Guyana, under the United Nations and European Union (EU) Spotlight Initiative.

In Guyana, the Spotlight Initiative is designed to address the root causes of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) with emphasis on prevention of family violence which includes sexual and gender-based violence, intimate partner violence and school-based violence.
Massiah said along the East Bank of Demerara corridor, he worked with students from the Canadian School of Arts and Science, and the Diamond Secondary School with the aim of breaking the social norms that perpetuate violence against children. He said due to acts of violence experienced in the home, many of the children had grown accustomed to various forms of abuse, in particular verbal and physical abuse.
“For instance, we heard things coming out like if you don’t hit me, you don’t like me; girls like being beaten, girls like it rough in terms of sex. One young lady indicated that she slapped her boyfriend, and for her, it was normal behaviour,” Massiah explained.
Using the Youth Adolescent Action Peer Group Booklet, and the Gender Based Violence, Prevention and Advocacy Booklet, which were produced as part of the Spotlight Initiative, Massiah explained that Gender-Based Violence and school related violence can affect a child’s ability to concentrate in and out of school. It was explained in some cases, some children even quit eating and or sleeping and may even want to stop attending school.
He told the students it is therefore important not to perpetuate violence against each other, and to report acts of violence meted out against children either in school or in their communities or homes. The students were also taught the importance of anger management and conflict resolution with Massiah providing them with a number of tips.
Outside of the schools, the Public Education Officer engaged both mothers and health workers at the Antenatal Clinics at the local health centres in Diamond and Golden Grove, EBD on Gender Based Violence, and support systems in place to help those affected. “We also had some community outreaches, where we went door to door, talking to people, providing them with information, adults and youths alike,” Massiah added.
On the East Coast of Demerara in the villages of Mon Repos and Lusignan, Public Education Officer Linda Hustler-Gray engaged in similar activities with pupils and students from the Mon Repos Primary School, the Good Hope Secondary School and the Institute of Professional Education (IPE). She also worked at the Lusignan Health Centre. Hustler-Gray said while quality time was spent on educating the students and adults on Gender Based Violence and School Based Violence, an important component of the programme involved reporting, counseling and referrals.
“Under this UNICEF implemented project, we had a lot of issues being reported such as domestic violence and child abuse,” she said.
The Public Education Officer said a number of cases were referred to the police, the Child Care and Protection Agencies (CCPA), and other support agencies under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security. “We don’t only offer them to come here at Help and Shelter. Under this project, we worked along with the Ministry of Human Services, the 914 number is given out at every session that we have, and they are told that you don’t have to have credit in your phone to call, just pick up your phone and call 914 and you will get that help. We also refer persons to, if we think there is a need for them to seek a doctor’s intervention,” she explained.
However, based on her observation, lack of finance in the homes and substance abuse were among the root causes of violence in homes. “Lack of finances in the home, the cost of living is too high, and the bread winner being the male alone, because in those homes most of the females don’t work, it can’t suffice the household and they are having lots of problems. Then you find the substance abuse in Mon Repos is very prevalent, a lot of alcohol use, and marijuana. Lusignan has similar issues but not as prevalent as Mon Repos. They are not getting jobs also, and this is one of the things that is contributing to the social ills in our society,” Hustler-Gray explained.
The Coordinator of Help and Shelter, Colin Marks said the non-governmental organization, which has been in existence for 27 years, has spent the last decade working with UNICEF Guyana and Suriname, as it provides critical support to women and children who are victims of Domestic Violence and or Child Abuse, as well as at risk population.

With funding from UNICEF Guyana to the tune of $12.5M, Help and Shelter, under the Spotlight Initiative, was able to engage a total of 482 students from the Good Hope Secondary School, the Canadian School of Arts and Science, Diamond Secondary School, Mon Repos Primary School and the Institute of Professional Education (IPE) over a period of six months from July 1 to December 31, 2023. During that same period, an additional 447 persons were engaged at three community health centres within the villages of Mon Repos, Good Hope, Lusignan, Grove and Diamond. Marks said the programme was very instrumental in not only helping children affected by violence, but also helping parents to understand the psychological effects Domestic Violence have on children.
“When children witness that violence amongst their parents, which is called intimate partner violence, they are considered to be abused because of what it does to them psychologically. And that’s why one of the forms, and type of violence that children are exposed to in the home when the parents are violent to each other is the psychological abuse, the psychological trauma that children suffer,” he explained.
In the case of child abuse, he said it was observed that there is a great need for parents to learn how to better communicate with their children, and to explore alternative ways to discipline a child besides physical punishment. Marks said there is a lot more work to be done in communities across Guyana, but he is thankful that with financial support from the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative through UNICEF, Help and Shelter has been able to conduct outreaches in far flung communities, and hard to reach locations including Kwakwani in Region 10. The organization has been extending its reach, and creating child friendly spaces, where much needed services, including counselling, are offered