Six Guyanese Youths chosen for the 2023 Youth Ambassadors Program 

Six Guyanese youths, aged 15 – 18, as well as two program mentors, have been chosen to represent Guyana in the U.S. Department of State’s sponsored Youth Ambassadors Program from August 16-30 2023.  

Those selected are Shonjay Mendonca, Naila Rahaman, Alyssa Persaud, Mya Saunders, Charisa Corbin, Carrian Perriera, and mentors Omario Gooding and Mellesia Lindie.  

The in-person exchange brings together outstanding young people between the ages of 15 and 18 from across the Americas for an enrichment program to explore themes such as civic education, leadership, cross-cultural connections, community service, and youth and social transformation through experiential learning activities, leadership training, civic participation at the community level, and mentoring by community, business, and NGO leaders, and volunteering.  

According to a statement issued by the United States Embassy, the youths were shortlisted from a large pool of applicants after going through an interview process.  They join a cadre of sixty-one youth leaders and eleven adult mentors who have been part of the Youth Ambassadors Program (YAP) since September 2012.