The Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI) received a special recognition award from the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) for helping bring cancer screening, prevention, HPV education, and early detection efforts to approximately 2,000 women and girls across Guyana, particularly those in Indigenous, hinterland, and under-resourced communities.
GGI’s support was delivered through the project “Empowering Communities: HPV Education and Screening for Indigenous and Under-Resourced Populations in Guyana.” Funding under this project enabled GRPA to expand HPV education and screening services beyond traditional clinic settings and directly into communities across Regions 1, 4, 7, 8, and 9, increasing access to preventive care among hinterland, Indigenous, and under-resourced populations where healthcare access can be limited.
The recognition was presented during the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association’s (GRPA) Pinktober Brunch 2026 held on Sunday, October 11, 2026, in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the Royal Hotel in Georgetown.
The event convened cancer survivors, healthcare professionals, advocates, government representatives, corporate sponsors, and development stakeholders to raise awareness about cancer prevention, promote early detection, and encourage equitable access to life-saving screening.
Accepting the recognition on behalf of GGI, Alicia Bess-Anderson, GGI Lead, noted that the achievement reflected the value of partnerships that bring essential health services closer to communities.
“We believe that development matters most when it reaches people where they are, especially those who face barriers to opportunity, healthcare, and wellbeing. That conviction is what makes our partnership collaboration with the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association so important,” Bess-Anderson said. “Together, we have brought cancer screening closer to communities across the country, reaching women and girls in rural and hinterland communities and regions who might otherwise have had limited access to these critical services,” she added.
Kobe Smith, Executive Director of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), noted that the investment has enabled GRPA to bring essential healthcare services closer to those who need it while demonstrating the important role private sector partnerships can play in strengthening community healthcare.
“We’re super grateful to the Greater Guyana Initiative, which is an undertaking of the Stabroek Block co-venturers…because, over the past 12 months, GRPA was able to deliver 2,000 cancer screening services in 200 communities. We hope that other private sector entities will use that as impetus and motivation to expand more access to care.”
The Honourable Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, also delivered remarks during the event, emphasizing the importance of partnerships in expanding access to healthcare services.
“That’s where organizations such as GRPA have been helping us to fill that gap. And with the financing from the Greater Guyana Initiative, they have been able to go to places where we have had some challenges, but when we combine our efforts, we can meet many more people,” Minister Anthony said.
Key Impact Achieved:
- Cancer Screening: Approximately 2,000 women and girls accessed cancer screening services through GGI-supported interventions.
- Expanded Regional & Hinterland Reach: Increased direct access to screenings and preventive care across Indigenous, hinterland, and under-resourced communities in Regions 1, 4, 7, 8, and 9.
- Enhanced Awareness & Prevention: Boosted community-level knowledge of cancer prevention and early detection through targeted outreach activities.
- Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: Strengthened strategic partnerships between civil society (GRPA), healthcare providers, the Ministry of Health, and private sector stakeholders.
- Long-Term Program Sustainability: Promoted GRPA’s broader cancer programs to support future screening expansions for vulnerable populations.
This engagement by GGI enabled GRPA to take screening services beyond traditional healthcare facilities and directly into communities, making preventive healthcare more accessible to populations that often face barriers to medical services. The project has also fostered stronger collaboration among civil society organizations, healthcare providers, government agencies, and private sector partners to support comprehensive and culturally responsive healthcare delivery.
The Pinktober Brunch formed part of GRPA’s activities supporting breast cancer awareness and the continued promotion of prevention, screening, and early detection.
GGI is pleased to contribute to these ongoing efforts through its collaboration with GRPA, supporting cancer education and screening in the project’s participating regions.
As Guyana continues to strengthen its healthcare system, initiatives such as the HPV Education and Screening Project demonstrate the value of collaborative partnerships in addressing health disparities and ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to essential preventive healthcare services.
About the Greater Guyana Initiative
The Greater Guyana Initiative is a ten-year, US$100 million collaboration funded by the Stabroek Block co-venturers — ExxonMobil Guyana, Hess Guyana Exploration and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana.
GGI invests in education, healthcare, environmental sustainability, capacity building and economic diversification, helping to create lasting opportunities that support Guyana’s long-term national development.
