Dutch floater specialist, SBM Offshore, has successfully concluded the first year of its Enhancing Livelihoods Youth Literacy Programme, celebrating the graduation of 34 youths. The programme, a collaboration between SBM Offshore Guyana and non-governmental organization, the National Coordinating Coalition (NCC), aimed to provide critical after-school tutoring and mentoring in literacy and numeracy to students in the communities of Sophia, Cummings Park, and Cummings Lodge.
Students from seven primary schools and four secondary schools benefitted from paid mentorship, tutorship and school supplies and also supported the coalition’s Wastepaper Recycling Initiative.
At the close-out ceremony, Martin Cheong, General Manager of SBM Offshore Guyana, praised the NCC for empowering the youth of the community and stressed the significance of education for young individuals. He expressed how the programme has demonstrated the transformative power of education by equipping the youth with essential literacy skills and the tools needed to build a brighter future for themselves and their communities. By fostering a love for learning, critical thinking, and curiosity, he said the programme has inspired these young individuals to dream big and strive for excellence.
Simone Sills, Executive Director of the NCC, also attended the ceremony and expressed her gratitude to SBM Offshore Guyana for their invaluable support in executing the program. She commended the parents for their role in supporting the initiative and emphasized the importance of collaboration and partnerships in achieving success.
The company has since noted that it is committed to continue supporting projects that contribute to the development of Guyanese youth. According to SBM Offshore, its efforts under the programme, proudly aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Four, which advocates for ‘Quality Education’ and aims to make a positive impact on the lives of young learners in the region.
In 2022, SBM Offshore also rolled out a Career Outreach Programme with for students which served to inform them of its role in the country and the career choices that are available in the oil and gas industry. These outreaches have since been taken across several regions.