Ten young women from Guyana’s hinterland regions have received scholarships for maritime training through the Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Arya Ali. This project is expected to help these young women excel in the male-dominated field.
This US$120,000 project is a collaboration between Tidewater Inc. and the Office of the First Lady.
Through this three-year project, the 10 young women will pursue Cadet Certificate training programmes as officers-in-charge of navigational watch or officers-in-charge of engineering watch. The final year of training will be spent onboard a seagoing ship.
First Lady Mrs. Arya Ali addressing the awardees (Photo: Ameer Sattaur/ Office of the First Lady/ June 30, 2025)
First Lady, Mrs Arya Ali, handed out the scholarships to the recipients during a ceremony held at Baridi Benab, State House, on Monday.
In her address to the young women, Mrs Ali said the scholarships provide highly specialised training opportunities to young women in an attempt to achieve gender parity in a male-dominated industry.
“This programme ensures that women from our hinterland regions, particularly our indigenous women, have access to the same kinds of academic and training opportunities that those of us on the coastland usually have,” she said.
Highlighting the current labour shortage in the industry, the First Lady said the young women are among the first set of “trailblazers” who will reshape the industry.
She added that the initiative is important as it ensures that an environment is created in which women are identified and selected for careers in the maritime industry.
“This is not just a scholarship. It is a promise that you belong, that you are capable, and that you will lead,” Mrs Ali told the recipients.
Through a shorter programme, the First Lady’s Office and the Atlantic Alliance Maritime and Offshore training institute have already provided Basic Safety training and Ship Security awareness training to 60 women from Regions One, Seven and Nine.
And in the coming weeks, another 40 young women will be trained through that programme.
President and Director of Tidewater Inc., Quintin Kneen, described the young women as symbols of ambition, resilience and possibility.
He said the initiative is not just about education and training but focuses on access, breaking barriers, and signaling that the decision-making rooms belong to women too.
“To the cadets, we believe in you, we are proud of you, and we will be cheering you on every mile of the way,” Kneen said.
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, in his remarks, said financing of these scholarships puts Guyana in a position where women can be seen in the operations and involved in the business in the maritime sector.
“We are bridging the gap in careers and working with girls and young women to ensure particularly that underserved areas are heavily impacted,” Edghill said.
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