Although a country of just over 800,000 people, 35% of Guyanese live on less than USD $5.50 per day, which is highest in the indigenous Amerindian villages. The youth in these communities often battle with considerable mental health issues and feelings of extreme hopelessness.
With this in mind, we decided to return to our country of birth, Guyana, to build Christ-centred relationships with youth in Amerindian low-income communities.
Targeting high school dropouts, I (Amar) will utilize my 30-year experience in the automotive industry to teach the youth “Automotive Electrical, Diagnostics and Repairs” curriculum. While I (Nadi) will invest in the lives of the young women, as a mentor and a trusted friend, to help them realize their God-given potential.
Our goal is to build lasting relationships with these Amerindian families, in order to lead them to hope in Christ. At the same time, we will work with the Guyana government to help break the cycle of poverty in these communities.
Moreover, with our partner global workers Colin and Dorselie Gittens, we will establish a Community of Hope Centre—a campus that will house a drop-in café, trades school, and a multi-purpose church/community/wellness centre for young people.
I (Amar) have worked with Toyota Canada for 17 years in various roles from a master technician to technical trainer for their training academy to now their district warranty manager overseeing 50 dealerships. My desire is to use all my work experience to teach/train Guyanese youth. I (Nadi) chose to stay at home and raise our two children. I have always been involved in various ministries over the years at our home church, Cedarview Community Church, in Newmarket, Ontario. I have also helped at a homeless shelter in our community. Over the years, we have both led seven short term missions’ trips to Romania, Cambodia, Calcutta and Chennai, India, Kenya, Zambia, and Siberia. We are also grandparents to two wonderful grandboys.
