Helping who lose their parents… Young Leader Awardee launches child bereavement organisation

Nov 19, 2018 News

The Guyana Golden Lives Organisation, a unique Non-Governmental Organisation which caters for children coping with bereavement, was formally launched today.
Founder and Queen’s Young Leader Awardee, Marva Langevine, said she was inspired to establish the GNO after reading a biblical scripture which called for the care of the less fortunate. She was also further persuaded after witnessing the effect her friend’s death due to cancer had on her two young children.
The 25-year-old said, “the training, the networking opportunities, the knowledge to manage a non-profit and how to take it to the next level… Persons were telling me that this is going to get big; this going to blow up… So, the Queen’s Young leaders’ award gave me that push that I needed and here we are today.”
Langevine established the NGO in 2014 and has since assisted 30 children so far, with guidance from the Queen’s Young Leaders’ programme.

British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn and Founder of Guyana Golden Lives, Marva Langevine

Also, addressing the gathering at the launch was the Advisor to the Minister of Public Health, John Adams, who recalled during his 28 years of teaching and social protection experience, he witnessed how children attempted to cope with the loss of a parent or both.
Adams noted, “If an adult loses a parent, it is difficult, much less a child, and for them to grow, they need our support. For them to cope, they need our support. For them to develop into that adult who will make a positive contribution to the development of their country, and their community, they need our support. I’m happy that Marva has chosen this path.”
Support for the initiative was promised by British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn, who noted “I hope you will all be able to do likewise. It is the very least we can do for this amazing young woman, the embodiment of everything the Queen’s Young Leaders’ Programme is about.”

Orlanzo Raghunandan giving a testimony about his life’s journey after losing both parents during the launch of Guyana Golden Lives

Stakeholders also heard an emotional testimony from orphan Orlanzo Raghunandan who lost both parents. Raghunandan who benefitted from the Golden Lives organisation spoke of his determination to succeed at his Civil Engineering studies despite having to learn to cope with the loss of both parents at an early age.
An explanation of the five stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance was given by Dr. Coleena Brown. She explained, “we can help them [the bereaved] get to the place of acceptance. Because once you are there, you’re able to manage your life as a child, as a teenager and as an adult in a much healthier way.”
At the conclusion of the launch, a puppy was presented to a Best Village orphan Angel Shivsanker and a certificate guaranteeing lifetime care, courtesy of Pawsome Pets’ Luana Pierre.