Kupanda Sisters Inc. will be celebrating its first anniversary on Saturday (June 27, 2020) from 15:00h to 16:30h via Zoom under the theme ‘Literacy is a Human Right.’
Founder and CEO, Cindy Charles, said the mission of the organisation “is to uplift women and young people in underserved communities by providing them with quality literary resources and skills that will equip and empower them to transform their reality.”
The USA-based Charles is a Guyanese, born in Parika, East Bank Essequibo.
The anniversary event will be a reflective celebration of the challenges and opportunities the organisation has encountered over the past year.
“It will also be a time to recognise those who have measurably contributed to the success of the organisation and gather support for the work that needs to be done,” the organisation said in a press release.
Charles said the ultimate is to get women to realise their true potential, thereby allowing them to become meaningful contributors to their communities.
“We have been in partnership with the Sophia Primary School since May 2019. Through the partnership we’re able to deliver quality literary resources and skills that will empower our students and transform their reality. The students meet every Saturday for literacy workshops and motivational classes,” Charles explained.
Kupanda Sisters Inc. recently secured a partnership with the World Literacy Foundation, a leading international literacy organisation that will significantly aid its work in the coming years.
“Our plans for the future include expansion our programme to different schools. The next school we’re planning to go to is Parika. In addition to that, we’re looking to collaborate with the Ministry of Education so we’re able to amplify the mission and have more resources allocated to students who are in need in the underserved communities,” Charles said.
The anniversary event will be graced by the following speakers:
Noella Coursaris Musunka– Ms. Musunka is a Congolese/Cypriot philanthropist and international model, is the Founder and CEO of Malaika, a grassroots nonprofit organization that educates and empowers girls and communities in her home country of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and is also a voice for the power of girls’ education worldwide. Founded in 2007, Malaika’s education and health programs are offered free of charge and today impacts thousands of lives. Musunka has shared her insight at a number of world-class forums spanning the Concordia Summit and the World Economic Forum in Davos to the university halls of Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 2017, she was named one of the BBC’s 100 Most Influential and Inspirational Women of the year, and in 2018 she received an award at the 100 Year of Mandela celebration.
Andrew Kay– Andrew Kay is the founder and CEO of the World Literacy Foundation, a global not-for-profit charitable group, striving to ensure that every young individual regardless of geographic location has the opportunity to acquire literacy and reading skills to reach their full potential, succeed at school and beyond. Andrew worked in the NFP sector for 30 years with a passion for education for all. In 1998 he was awarded citizen of the year for his service to the community.
Neville A. Welch– Neville Welch was born in Albouystown and grew up in Tiger Bay. He graduated from the Dolphin Primary School and subsequently Charlestown Secondary School. He later graduated from Kingsborough Community College after migrating to the United States. Neville has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Howard University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Walden University. He was later enlisted into the United States Marine Corps where he graduated from the school of infantry. More recently Neville was a military advisor to a member of the United States congress. Over the past 18 years, he has served in the Marine Corps with courage and distinction. Neville is extensively involved in the local community, he has many personal decorations and he enjoys spending quality time with his family.
Ms. Audrey Sue- Headmistress of Sophia Primary School.
