By Abigail Headley
On June 17 a technology programme for youth in Region 3, funded by the United States (US) Embassy in Guyana was launched.
Named ‘Youth Development through Education’, the project is designed to train 22 youths, from Vreed-en-Hoop and outlying areas, in computer repairs, security camera installation, and networking.
The project is headed by Jaianan (Jai) Hirai, a tech entrepreneur and Fellow of the 2018 Young Leader of the Americas Initiative (YLAI). Stabroek News (SN) had a chat with Hirai on Friday and he provided some insight into the project.
According to him, ‘Youth Development through Education’ was scheduled to be launched in June of last year, but due to precautionary measures for COVID-19, the launch was deferred. Hirai explained that being an YLAI Fellow afforded him the opportunity of applying for the US Embassy’s Alumni small grant. Hirai’s proposal was submitted in 2022 and in the same year he was awarded to train the young people.
Despite the project being initially designed for Region 3 youths, Hirai revealed that youths from Berbice and Linden have also been accepted for training, since they did not want to turn anyone away. On funding for this and other projects, the 39-year-old stated that, “Over the years proposals were sent to various Government and private bodies but we were not awarded any for the year of 2022. It is always a tedious process trying to raise funds for … projects, to conduct our Technical youth trainings across Guyana”.
‘Youth Development through Education’ is not the first of Hirai’s projects. He explained to SN that projects of this capacity started in 2019 when he applied for the YLAI Reverse Exchange Program. At that time, his proposal was awarded to train 30 young people in computer repairs and networking and University of Notre Dame representative, Tom Marentette visited Guyana to assist in the training.
“In 2019 of December the US Embassy, Guyana would have awarded us another grant to train thirty- three youths in Skeldon, Berbice and in February 2020 the Government of Guyana also awarded our proposal to train another thirty youths, these youths were from as far as Pomeroon and Berbice,” Hirai explained.
He added that the trainings will continue in the future and “we will have this available in more rural and hinterland areas in Guyana”. On this, he noted that there is a shortage of Information Technology (IT) experts in the rural and hinterland areas in Guyana; hence the plan to conduct trainings in these areas.
Apart from heading the training projects, Hirai is the founder of TECHDEV and president of a recently launched Non-Profit organization, TECHSERVE INC. The latter was established in March of this year and focuses on youth development through digital literacy. It is run by Hirai himself, along with Arti Hirai; who is the Secretary (and Co-founder of ACTC Training Academy), and Davendra Naraine; the Director (and owner of Nived.io). Hirai has a passion for youth development and believes that in order to see real changes and better communities, youths must be educated first. He works with youths of all ages in an effort to give them a skill/trade in Information Technology, including Computer Repairs, Networking and Robotics. He expressed gratitude “to the US Embassy, Guyana for the continued support and for trusting our process”.
