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A scavenger hunt held to introduce the EMC Foundation saw more than forty young people converge at the Botanical Gardens on Sunday morning amidst heavy downpours to find clues hidden around the gardens.

The Foundation was created by Shyam Nokta, winner of the 2022 Anthony N Sabga Award for Entrepreneurship. It aims to support environmental awareness and education in Guyana by promoting activities which encourage greater understanding of the environment, create a network to connect like-minded people and provide opportunities to experience Guyana’s rich natural environment.

More than forty young people participated in the scavenger hunt. The University of Guyana’s Biology club completed the hunt in the fastest time and was awarded the first prize, while the Eco-Trust Society and the Caribbean Youth Environmental Network gained second and third places, respectively.

Zoya Samaroo and Deopaul Somwaru, who coordinated the event and are members of the Foundation, said they were thrilled with the turnout and were excited by the enthusiasm shown by the participants. According to Samaroo, “Young people are agents of change and can play an active role in fostering greater appreciation and understanding of the beauty and fragility of our environment and the importance of protecting it through continuous awareness and education. The Botanical Gardens was the perfect venue for the event as it helped raise awareness of important historical landmarks within the Gardens as well as our natural heritage.”

In brief comments, Mr. Shyam Nokta said, “The Foundation is a dream realised for the Company and my family, to give our people the opportunity to interact with the environment so that they can develop greater awareness and love for Guyana’s biodiversity and be inspired to protect it. Global attention is now on how countries can find a balance between conservation and development. Guyana, to its credit, has led the way in this regard by pursuing low-carbon development. This Foundation will contribute to these efforts by helping to create a new generation of young people who understand and appreciate Guyana’s biodiversity and reimagine our relationship and future with it.’

The Foundation will organise several events in the coming months and thanks all participants of its inaugural scavenger hunt.