GUYANA PROJECT

Guyana is a small northern South American nation with a population of around 750,000 where mental illness affects nearly 25% of the population. With 44.2 suicides per 100,000 people. Guyana has the highest suicide rate in the world. Many of those affected are female, their situations are centred around inequality and poverty, which forms part of the root cause that women continue to live in fear of domestic violence. Links between gender and poverty fall into the majority of the poorer of the sexes due to cultural norms, values, gender division of assets and the power dynamic between men and women.

Women possess inherent knowledge that is overlooked by policy makers who are the ones that form or implement poverty reduction plans. The ideology remains that men are breadwinners and women are the dependants.
It is therefore surmised that poverty is the root cause of the inequality and that entrepreneurship is the path toward women’s economic and social empowerment.

We believe that to root out poverty, we must root out gender injustice in all its forms. Advancing women’s economic rights, freedom from violence and harassment and granting equal opportunities are crucial to the elimination of poverty.

Guyana is vulnerable to climate change and already experiences severe floods and droughts. Other impacts include sea level rise, changing precipitation patterns, increased temperatures, and extreme weather events. Vector-Borne diseases, foodborne and waterborne diseases, food and economic insecurity, and saltwater intrusion of aquifers are also prevalent in Guyana.. Dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever, zika and local outbreaks of malaria are all epidemics spread via the same vector; mosquitoes have a significant impact on people’s health in Guyana.

Genisys ARCts’ aim is to increase education and health awareness in these regions and with support from funders and donations to support provision of mosquito nets, medical supplies and awareness of health education.