Abeena Gomes, a country girl from the island of Wakenaam, Region Three, aims to change the world by shining her light. She stands by the philosophy, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Abeena Gomes
She was born on the 2nd November 1998 at the Wakennam Cottage Hospital and grew up in Noitegedacht, Wakenaam. Reflecting on her childhood, Gomes noted that growing up in the “countryside” assisted her in staying grounded and connected to her roots.
She has six (6) siblings and has now moved on to the West Coast of Demerara (WCD), where she stays with her mother and two siblings. Reminiscing on her academic pursuits, Gomes said that she was focused more on academics but somehow learned how to balance her academic life and leisure time.
When you think of country life, that’s exactly what it’s like, running in the backdam, catching crabs, swimming by the seawalls, doing bush cooks… it’s somewhat different than what you’d expect living in town and having access to technology. It was fun nevertheless.
She attended the Noitegedacht Nursery School but was later transferred to the Anna Catherina Nursery School and then the Leonora Primary School. After writing the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Gomes was awarded a spot at Queen’s College.
In 2015, the 22-year-old graduated with fourteen (14) subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examination (CSEC). She also holds an Associate Degree in Computer Science from the University of Guyana, a Diploma in Graphics Design and Marketing from Computer World, and a Certificate in Project Management from the Project Management Institute.
After my grandmother’s death, I was inspired to create a positive impact on the island that contributed to my growth and thus the shine your light initiative was birthed.
The Shine Your Light Initiative (SYL) was launched in May 2019, with its primary purpose being to push Sustainable Development Goal 4, which deals with quality education. To achieve this goal, the SYL would usually conduct informal and formal training to equip youths with the skills needed to better themselves, their communities, and by extension, their country.
A flyer done by ASG Solutions
Gomes said that the Initiative also aims to give youths the tools to ignite their inner light by focusing on the pillars of personal development; mind, body, and spirit. The SYL hosts monthly sessions in Wakenaam; However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sessions are now held virtually via the Shine Your Light Initiative’s Facebook page.
Despite holding several caps, Abeena is also a volunteer. In 2016, she volunteered with the GSM Association, commonly referred to as ‘the GSMA’ or Global System for Mobile Communications, originally Groupe Spécial Mobile, where she taught kids how to assemble and fix hardware computer products.
She also volunteers with the Youth Action Network (YAN) in the capacity of a Marketing Specialist. The former Queen’s College student is a tech enthusiast, podcast host, and a digital creator who is focused on deriving innovative solutions within the digital marketing space, with the aim of increasing brand awareness and revenue.
After pursuing computer science at the University of Guyana, I realized that I love web designing/content creation over coding.
In 2020, she launched her business called ‘ASG Solutions’ where she offers services such as Graphics Design, Web Design Consultation, Social Media Marketing, and Content Creation. She also works with E-networks as a Content Creator. Her advice to persons who might want to follow in her footsteps is simple. She said;
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- Gomes alongside some of the students at the GMSA workshop
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- Abeena Gomes
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- Abeena Gomes, alongside the SYL volunteers in Wakenaam.
Be consistent, focus on yourself and your growth, and most importantly- just trust the process. Everyone has their own journey and purpose of fulfilling. It’s up to each individual to seek divine guidance in achieving their goals.
Contact Information for Abeena Gomes
- Facebook Page: ASG Solutions
- Instagram: ASG Solutions
- Telephone #: +592- 655 – 8235
- Email: [email protected]
