Two Guyanese selected as CARICOM Youth Ambassadors -Minister Norton encourages them to make the region proud

Vishal Joseph and Samantha Sheoprashad have been selected to become Youth Ambassadors for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

The two vibrant personalities recently met with Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. George Norton.

During the engagement, Minister Norton expressed delight at the selection, expressing confidence that both Joseph and Sheoprashad will represent not only their country, but the entire CARICOM, competently.

“These are bright and impactful young people who are capable of doing great things. As the Minister responsible for Youth, it gives me pleasure in knowing that our future is in such capable hands,” Dr. Norton noted.

Vishal Joseph is a youth advocate and social activist, with a penchant for the promotion of education and value systems in support thereof. He founded Bookworms, a nonprofit organization which serves children and students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds across Guyana, through civil society donations.

Joseph is an experienced project manager with a demonstrated history of positive growth in venture management and a business focus on Human Medicine, Agriculture and Technology. Skills include, but are not limited to working with nonprofit organizations, strategic negotiation, youth and political policy, and disaster risk reduction & response.

The 24-year-old has, and continues to serve in many capacities, such as being a member of the Red Cross’ National Disaster Intervention Team, domestic and international steering committees in the Lions/Leos Movement, as a project ambassador of the One World Youth Project and on the Guyana National Youth Council as a member of the Finance Committee. Affiliations also extend to other domestic, regional and international civil society organisations.

Joseph has made contributions to date towards the drafting of the National Disaster Plan of Guyana, national ICT youth engagement mechanisms, fostering and catalysing civic engagement in political reform.

He is currently reading for his Bachelors of Medicine, Bachelors of Surgery (MBBS) whilst also participating in courses on Negotiation, Mediation and Conflict Resolution with the ESSEC Business School of France and is an aspiring statesman with a passion for promotion of national values.

For the promotion of national values as well as his contributions to human and social development, Mr. Joseph was appointed as a Queen’s Young Leader in 2015 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and in 2016 as an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society.

This active media personnel is also a recipient of a national youth award from the Government of Guyana.

The achievements of his counterpart, 27-year-old, Samantha Sheoprashad is no less impressive. She is a humanitarian, youth leader and entrepreneur. Sheoprashad, is the Co-Founder of Trifinity Solutions. She has the direct responsibility for Software Systems Development, Marketing programs, Brand Management, and developing Digital Solutions for businesses.

Over the past five years, she has been dedicated to her role as President of the Enterprise Youth Development Group, which has been making tremendous impacts on the lives of young people along the East Coast corridor.

Sheoprashad also volunteers for The Caribbean Voice, the Department of Culture Youth and Sports, Enforcers Care, Save Abee Foundation and The Young Pioneer.

She is spearheading community programmes in the area of education, mental health, environmental awareness, arts, culture and entrepreneurship.

The young woman, who is also a suicide survivor, is passionate about helping young people realize their potentials through creativity, innovation, problem-solving and leadership.

Like Joseph, Sheoprashad too was awarded by Her Majesty the Queen for being an outstanding young leader.

She was also awarded the then Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for being the National Star Camper of 2012 and a dedicated Youth Worker for the year 2014.

Sheoprashad also copped the Most Outstanding Contribution to Faculty Life award from the University of Guyana

“During the Queens Young Leaders Program, I desire to create impactful youth programs, promote youth leadership by involving youth in problem-solving, planning, implementation, and evaluation of projects primarily in the area of Mental Health and Entrepreneurship,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dr. George Norton wished both Joseph and Sheoprashad well, adding that they have his Ministry’s full support as they execute their duties as CARICOM Youth Ambassadors.