Former school dropout, Orlanzo Antonio Raghunandan, is a ‘Special Person’

Nov 28, 2021 News, Special Person

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your back is against the wall, if you ever feel like giving up, know that you “We all have a story to share and don’t ever feel like you’re the only one who is experiencing hardship. Whenever you feel like have a purpose, and know your life matters. Believe in yourself, find people who you can trust and talk to…talking helps.”

From teaching to entrepreneurship and now mental health advocacy…

By Rehanna Ramsay

Kaieteur News – Whenever a story is written or told of a person who withstood difficulties and personal challenges to fulfill their dreams, it has the ability to create a positive ripple effect that could motivate someone else facing similar hardship to keep going until they reach their goals.Today Kaieteur News features a 29-year-old Canada-based Guyanese whose journey to entrepreneurship and mental health advocacy is nothing less than inspiring. Almost anyone looking at Orlanzo Antonio Raghunandan’s life today would never suspect the road he travelled to achieve his goals.

The former teacher, now an entrepreneur and mental health advocate, who lost his parents at a young age, battled depression, homelessness, and even dropped out of school on more than one occasion to become the owner of ISMOR, a business development company based in Toronto. This was no easy feat for the young Guyanese living overseas, but Raghunandan accomplished it.
And, now as if it is almost his second nature, he looks to use his brand, ISMOR, to give back in an area he said he struggled the most—mental health.
By sharing his experience, Raghunandan hopes to raise awareness and support persons dealing with mental health challenges. During a conversation with Kaieteur News, the budding entrepreneur shared how not having parents, severely impacted his life. He related that his mother told him that his father had died when he was a baby and so she raised him until he was 13-years-old before she too passed away.
As if the death of one parent was not bad enough for a child, Raghunandan recalls how losing a second parent impacted him more than the first. He explained that up until her death, he and his single-parent mother resided in the village of Mahaica, East Coast Demerara. Raghunandan told Kaieteur News that he has two other siblings but they resided with their paternal relatives. “So, when she died, I was left alone…my siblings had their fathers,” he said.
Left to fend for himself, the teenage Raghunandan became like a ship without a sail, “being tossed to and fro by a violent wind.” He recalled at 13 years old he had no permanent home and was moved about from place to place looking for a safety net.
It was during this time, that he developed some real psychological issues. While it was natural for any child in his situation to experience feelings of desertion and loneliness, Raghunandan recalled those feelings led to depression and thoughts of suicide. He explained the reason for this.
Apart from his aunt, Raghunandan said that his mother was the only other person that he knew well. “When she passed, I felt as though I was a child in the wilderness,” he related. As suicidal thoughts bombarded his mind, Raghunandan decided to drop out of school for the first time.
“Unstable’ was the word being used to describe my life…Apart from dropping out of school for the first time at age 13, I began battling depression. I contemplated taking my life because I felt that it would solve everything I was dealing with,” he said.
However, he noted that the only reason he did not commit suicide was because of his siblings and how his actions would negatively impact their lives.
Yet, while all these thoughts were going through the 13-year-old Raghunandan’s head, no one could tell he was plotting his own demise or had the slightest clue that he was struggling mentally since he ensured that no one found out. His reason? He did not want sympathy.
“I didn’t want people to pity me or to treat me like I was less fortunate because I never saw myself as unfortunate,” he stated.
As a result, the teenager would later return to school but his depression led him to drop out of school for the second time at age 15. This time, he turned to drugs and alcohol for solace.
Raghunandan later developed anger issues which he said led him down a path of myriad dangers.
Given that he was uneducated on the issue, Raghunandan conveyed that he was unaware that he was dealing with a type of mental illness. The teenager was, however, aware that he needed help.
He nonetheless, recalled feeling as though the people around him were not capable of understanding his pain. All of this changed, at age 15 when he met, Marva Lynch, who he calls his angel in disguise.
Lynch was a woman he met in church and it was as if their destinies were intertwined; she became his foster mother. “Meeting her was the beginning of my healing process, she taught me to love and forgive and she was determined to break through all the walls I had built” he added.
Reflecting on what he had to overcome, Raghunandan said that he believes that his road to becoming a better person started with Lynch.

Her guidance and support helped him to open up and talk about his traumas, instead of locking it in as he had become used to doing. His pastor, Odit Persaud of the De Hoop New Testament Church, also played a pivotal role in ensuring that he received the support and guidance he needed to succeed in his endeavours. It was this unwavering support that pushed the young man to excel.
He returned to school where he was able to graduate with good grades, after which he started teaching at 16 years old. Raghunandan later enrolled at the Cyril Potter’s College of Education (CPCE) to further qualify himself in the teaching profession, but this next step was also challenging for him.
Raghunandan divulged that there were moments when he felt as though he was going to fail his studies and he wanted to quit, however with the right support he was able to conquer this challenge and finish his studies.
He stated, “In my final year I was battling with depression more so because I had to figure out where I would live after the completion of college. But only a few people knew this like my personal tutor, Mr. Ryan Samaroo who pushed me to finish college. My teaching career is really a tribute to him.”
After his successful completion of CPCE, Raghunandan then taught at the Bygeval Multilateral School for a number of years. He also taught at the Mahaicony and Cummings Lodge Secondary Schools during his teaching practice programme for CPCE before migrating to Canada.
When asked his reason for wanting to share his story after so many years, the young business owner said that he believes that he has finally come to realise who he is as a person.
He emphasised that people need more inspiration, especially those people who are struggling with mental health.
“I believe my story can encourage at least one person to keep pushing and never give up despite the odds,” he said.
Raghunandan recently launched his business, ISMOR; a company he envisions will help to positively impact lives, especially Guyanese, by continuously advocating for mental health and giving back to the community.
He explained, “I’ve always wanted to become an entrepreneur because I believe entrepreneurship will allow me to accomplish my ultimate goal which is to be financially secured, not only for myself but for generations to come.”
According to Raghunandan, ISMOR is a young company and was founded during the global pandemic.
He said, “It was created to benefit small businesses owners because when it’s all said and done it comes down to really building a business to last.”
He noted that “ISMOR is a business development company with a primary focus to build, promote and develop small businesses until they become viable. ISMOR bridges the gap between suppliers and consumers and exposes them to a premium market.
We operate in Canada and we’re launching in phases in Guyana until we set up a fully operational office where Guyanese will have direct access to the company.”
With regard to his mental health advocacy, the business development professional is using the platform as an entrepreneur to partner with other firms and non-profit organisations to raise awareness and lend support. He has already started to work with Desert Flower; a local mental health organisation that focuses on helping young people deal with those challenges.
In the meantime, Raghunandan continues to spread his message about mental health. His overall advice to anyone struggling with their mental health is simple: “We all have a story to share and don’t ever feel like you’re the only one who is experiencing hardship. Whenever you feel like your back is against the wall, if you ever feel like giving up, know that you have a purpose, and know your life matters. Believe in yourself, find people who you can trust and talk to…talking helps.”
He noted too that the most powerful thing a person can possess is hope.
“You got to believe that things will get better without a doubt, but in order for those things to get better, you must work hard beginning with baby steps. Baby steps are better than no step at all,” he stated.
According to some scientific studies, mental health issues are one of the main causes of the overall disease burden worldwide. Mental health and behavioural problems like depression and anxiety are reported to be the primary drivers of severe mental health disorders worldwide, causing over 40 million cases in 20 to 29-year-olds across the globe. Depression is thought to be the second leading contributor to the scourge of suicide and ischemic heart disease around the world.

 

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