What happens when young people are given the opportunity and the confidence to shape the future of their communities? In Guyana’s Indigenous communities of Orealla and Siparuta, the answer is already taking shape. Through support from the McCain Global Leaders Impact Fund, 2024 McCain Global Leader Deodat Persaud launched the initiative Article 13 in Practice: Youth Participation in Action through the Guyana Center for Civic Engagement. The initiative sought to transform the constitutional principle of participatory democracy under Article 13 of the Constitution of Guyana into practical action by equipping 25 Indigenous youth with the leadership, civic engagement, and conflict resolution skills needed to become active participants in local decision-making through interactive workshops and dialogue.
Rather than being told what challenges to address, participants identified the issues affecting their own communities through facilitated discussions. They overwhelmingly selected drug and substance abuse as their top concern and designed an awareness campaign to tackle it. The initiative then supported participants in turning their designed campaign into reality. By providing resources and guidance, the campaign reached students, parents, teachers, and community members through educational sessions at local primary schools, awareness materials distributed throughout both villages, and the installation of two permanent anti-drug billboards that will continue promoting healthy choices and active citizenship for years to come.
Perhaps the initiative’s greatest impact was the transformation in how participants viewed themselves and their role in their communities. During the program’s closing evaluation, graduates pledged to become more involved in village meetings, support their Village Council, encourage greater youth participation in community decision-making, and champion a zero-tolerance approach to drugs. One participant captured the experience, saying, “Before today, I thought meetings were only for adults. Now I know that my voice also has value, and I want to help make my village better.”
The initiative demonstrated that when young people are trusted to lead, they create meaningful solutions rooted in the needs of their own communities. By investing in character-driven leadership and MGL alumni, the McCain Global Leaders Impact Fund helped empower a new generation of civic leaders who are already putting democratic values into action.
The McCain Global Leaders Program supports character-driven leaders from around the world who embody Senator John McCain’s legacy of serving a cause greater than oneself. Structured as a 12-month fellowship and experiential learning experience, each cohort will include a diverse group of leaders from around the world who are working “in the arena” to advance democracy and protect human rights and freedom. The program is designed to advance each Leader’s personal and professional leadership journey and impact by providing training, resources, and access to highly relevant regional and global networks to prepare today’s leaders to meet tomorrow’s challenges.