Brindley Horatio Benn, CCH was a teacher, choirmaster, politician, and one of the key leaders of the Guyanese independence movement. He was put under restriction when the constitution was suspended in 1953. In 1957, Benn served as Minister of Community Development and Education in the first elected government of Guyana, and between 1961 and 1964 as Minister of Natural Resources. From 1993 to 1998, he served as High Commissioner of Guyana to Canada.
New Amsterdam is the regional capital of East Berbice-Corentyne, Guyana and one of the country's largest towns. It is 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the capital, Georgetown and located on the eastern bank of the Berbice River, 6 km (4 mi) upriver from its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean, and immediately south of the Canje River. New Amsterdam's population is 17,329 inhabitants as of 2012.
The Women's Environment & Development Organization (WEDO) is an international non-governmental organization based in New York City, U.S. that advocates women’s equality in global policy. Its early successes included achieving gender equality in the final documents of Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration. In 2006, the organization was named as an international Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme.
Nancy Lublin is the former CEO of Crisis Text Line and was the creator of Dress for Success. She was also the CEO of Do Something Inc., a company that mobilizes youth to participate in social change, from 2003 to 2015.
Mission East is a Danish relief and development NGO that aims to help vulnerable people in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia and support local communities' capacity to organize and help themselves through activities ranging from emergency relief during disasters to long-term development aid. Many of the countries where Mission East has programmes are considered ‘fragile’ contexts, where Mission East works in the humanitarian-development nexus. The organization also focuses on the strengthening of rights for marginalized groups, including women and people with disabilities, and their inclusion in society. Mission East implements projects both directly and together with local and international partners to strengthen the relevance, impact and sustainability of the programs. Mission East has offices in Afghanistan, Armenia, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Syria and Tajikistan.
Scotch and Soda is a Dutch fashion retail company founded in 1985.
Women in Guyana are a cross-section of Guyanese society whose numbers have fluctuated with time. A country with primarily Indo-Guyanese, Afro-Guyanese and Amerindian women, Guyana has also been home to women of European or Chinese descent. The country has had a female president, Janet Jagan. Although it is part of South America, Guyana is culturally and historically aligned with the Commonwealth Caribbean and is often compared to Trinidad and Tobago.
Mrs. Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli is an expert on African agriculture and nutrition, philanthropy, and social innovation. She has over 25 years of international development experience and is a recognized serial entrepreneur, author, public speaker, and consultant. Through her work in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, she has led the design and execution of high-impact initiatives focused on policy, strategy, organizational design, ecosystem solutions, and growth.
Seetha Coleman-Kammula is an Indian chemist, environmentalist and entrepreneur. After over 25 years working in the petrochemical industry developing plastics, she began an environmental consulting firm in 2005. Her firm focuses on industrial ecology and assessment of the life cycle of products so that they are manufactured in processes that are environmentally aware of the future impact of waste products.
Karen de Souza is a Guyanese women and child's rights activist who has worked to advocate for victims, educate and provide support for victims of violence. Founder of the NGO Red Thread anti-violence campaigns, she has been involved in training programmes of judicial officers and contributed to the drafting law to protect trafficking and anti-violence. Her advocacy has been recognized by both regional and international organizations.
Ilham Kadri is a French-Moroccan business executive with a scientific background. Since March 1, 2019, she has been the CEO, chairwoman of the Executive Committee and a member of the Board of Directors of Solvay, a Belgian chemicals company.
Andaiye, born Sandra Williams, was a Guyanese social, political, and gender rights activist, who has been described as "a transformative figure in the region's political struggle, particularly in the late 1970s, '80s and '90s".
Wanjira Mathai is a Kenyan environmentalist and activist. She is Vice President and Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute, based in Nairobi, Kenya. In this role, she takes on global issues including deforestation and energy access. She was selected as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine in 2018 for her role serving as the senior advisor at the World Resources Institute as well as for her recent campaign to plant over 30 million trees through her work at the Green Belt Movement.
Thelma Arimiebi Ekiyor is a, social entrepreneur and impact investor who has served in authoritative positions within many organizations. Ekiyor has focused primarily on investing in women Entrepreneurs. She started her career supporting women in peacebuilding and empowering women and youth through financial independence and educational access. She has experience with projects in over 22 African countries. Ekiyor worked in post conflict countries like Liberia with the peace activist Leymah Gbowee.
Clive Youlande Thomas is a Guyanese economics professor and political activist. He publishes on issues relating to development and poverty eradication in Guyana and the greater Caribbean region.
Clarie Collins Harvey was an African American businesswoman, religious leader and prominent activist during the civil rights movement in Mississippi. Her organization Womanpower Unlimited has been recognized by many for its role in sustaining the Freedom Riders during their imprisonment at Parchman Penitentiary. As a result of her long activist career, Harvey received many accolades, including the Outstanding Mississippian Award, given to her by Governor William Waller in 1974.
Natasha Wang Chibesa Mwansa is a Zambian student, journalist and activist.
Nadine Al Haraki or Nadine Alhraki is a Syrian refugee who educates young people in the Zaatari refugee camp on reproductive health. For her work, she was invited to speak in the United Nations General Assembly in 2016, at a conference on young people and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Jocelyn DeJong is a professor and associate dean at the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at the Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut. Her research focuses on sexual and reproductive health, including AIDS, and its relation to population and development. She was a central actor for setting up the first task force on female genital mutilation in Egypt.
Natalie Anne Kyriacou OAM is an Australian social activist and Environmentalist. She was appointed the Medal of the Order of Australia for her ‘services to wildlife and environmental conservation and education’ in 2018. She has served on the Board of University of Melbourne’s Animal Ethics Committee and presently is the member of International Union for the Conservation of Nature. She is serving on the advisory board of Women Leaders Institute. She is also known as the founder of My Green World which she founded in 2012 to promote wildlife and environmental conservation issues.
