Focused on preparing today’s youth to occupy positions of leadership in the future, Nulli Secundus, the Youth Group of First Assembly of God Wortmanville (FAOGW), has spared no effort in training and equipping young people to lead productive lives and meaningfully contribute to society. This Youth Group is a corporate body that was birthed in 2008, with a core purpose to mentor, mold and facilitate the spiritual, social, economic, academic and physical growth of youths within the community.
Over the past decade, Nulli Secundus has been an active advocate for community development and youth empowerment. With more than 150 members, the group has successfully planned and executed six expeditions in the interior regions of Guyana. These expeditions have allowed scores of young people to experience the vast landscape of Guyana firsthand, while providing training, exchanging cultures and building new relationships with Guyana’s indigenous communities. The expeditions were also geared towards inspiring a sense of patriotism and national pride amongst the youths, whilst helping them to build leadership capacity and self-value.
Inside the Expeditions
As the word expedition connotes, Nulli Secundus Expeditions has over the years enabled its members to explore Guyana. Known as a yearly signature event for the youth group and a major part of its development programme, Nulli Secundus started its expeditions in 2010. This saw the first batch of youths exploring the rich culture of the mighty Cinderella County of Essequibo, as they visited key landmarks in the region such as the Hot and Cold Lake, Damon’s Monument and Lake Mainstay in Region 2.
This initial expedition was just a drop in the ocean for the many more to come. In 2015, the second installment called Expedition El Dorado, created history, as twenty-eight (28) youths visited the town of Lethem (Region 9) and became the first youth group to climb approximately 3,500 ft. to the highest point in the Kanuku Mountain Range in Guyana, the Schomburgk’s Peak. There, the youths hoisted both the National and Christian flags and laid a Nulli Secundus plaque to commemorate the achievement. They also repainted the culverts within the community to make them easily visible to drivers to reduce the occurrence of fatal accidents in the area.
Expedition El Dorado in 2015
Nulli Secundus then embarked on Expedition Cinderella in 2016 and Expedition Wapishana Wave in 2017. These two expeditions were the epitome of community service as the youths visited Regions 8 and 9 respectively. While in Region 8, mini-workshops were held in the Pakaraima villages of Paramakatoi, Kato, Kurukubaru and Orinduik on the Value of Education, Business Management, Personal Hygiene, and Social Grace. Practical Clothing and Textiles sessions were also held with the women in the villages.
Expedition Cinderella 2016
In Region 9, the youths engaged the South Rupununi villages of Shulinab, Shea, Awarewaunau and Maruranau and accomplished one of their most noteworthy community projects – the maintenance of the Aishalton Airstrip. They also climbed the Shea Rock, a major mountain peak in the district which stands at 676 ft. tall. The villages also received donations of sporting equipment among other items.
Expedition Wapishana Wave 2017
The following year (2018), Nulli Secundus took the youths to the North Rupununi communities of Annai, Wowetta, Rupertee and Surama where they continued on the trajectory of training other youths during Expedition Linkin’ Up. This time, training was done in Information Technology, the musical art of Steel Pan Playing and Cake Decorating. The youths also were able to climb four mountains and walked across the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway (a series of suspension bridges and decks of up to 30 meters in height and 154 meters in length), as they continued to explore the pristine beauty of Guyana.
Expedition Linkin’ Up 2018
The final expedition Nulli Secundus embarked upon, pre-pandemic, was Expedition Esprit de Corps in 2019. During this expedition, the youths provided life skills training for the indigenous villages of Chenapou and Mahdia in Region 8. The areas of training provided were Creative & Critical Thinking, Decision-making, Self-awareness, and Resilience & Coping. Nulli Secundus also collaborated with The Office of Climate Change on this expedition to bring awareness to global warming, mitigation and forestry among the villagers. The youths also addressed the issues of teenage pregnancy and substance abuse, since these are prevalent in both communities.
Another noteworthy project Nulli Secundus completed on this expedition was the enhancement of the main visitors’ area of the Kaieteur National Park. It is laudable that the youths beautified this area by trimming the trees, cleaning the park and the main building, and building bridges along the walkway to the Kaieteur Falls.
Expedition Esprit de Corps 2019
Nulli Secundus community projects were not only executed in the interior regions of Guyana but also in the capital city of Georgetown. Some of the projects completed in the city included:
- Refurbishing School libraries (Freeburg Secondary School and St. Thomas More Primary)
- Hosting a Book Drive in the Wortmanville Community
- Entertaining and Spending Quality time with Seniors Citizens at Indigent Homes
- Building a wash bay in school (Charlestown Secondary School)
Moreover, as part of the strategy to build leadership capacity amongst the youth, Nulli Secundus participated in various national forums and discussions over the years. These forums included:
- Visits to the National Parliament Sittings
- Participation in the National Social Cohesion Seminar
- Participation in Ministry of Social Protection round table discussion on how technology affects family
- Visits to the High Court of the Supreme Court to glean an understanding of the Judiciary
- Visits to Mining Camps to observe gold mining operations
- Meeting with Guyanese Philanthropist, Mr. Stanley Ming to discuss the vision for economic development as adumbrated in Guyana’s 21 plan.
The work of Nulli Secundus did not just happen overnight but was made possible through the diligent work and coordination of its leadership committee which comprises, Martin Massiah (President), Tiffany David (Vice President), Aubrey Sultan (Secretary), Shaunette Lee-Collins (Treasurer), Martin Watson (Asst. Secretary) and Ikia Thompson (Asst. Treasurer). This team is also supported by adult mentors, Dr. Wilbert Lee, Minister Vanessa Thompson and Sister Yonette Rosheuvel.
Nulli’s Origin
This dynamic youth group that we know today came to be through the work of many hands. It all commenced through the wisdom of the Children’s Church Coordinator, Minister Lynette Fraser, who recognised that there was a need in the local church (FAOGW) to help the young people who had exceeded the age for Children’s Church, to transition to the main sanctuary where the general congregants’ worships. As such a team of young people, who were the then graduates of the Children’s Church, was steered to Dr. Wilbert Lee, who was then tasked with articulating a vision and a direction for the youths. Dr. Lee then selected a core team to assist in this process and after much deliberation, the team drafted the constitution, vision statement and created symbols of identity, unique to the vision of the group we now know as Nulli Secundus. The group was given its name by Minister Tiffany David and this was endorsed by the leadership of FAOGW. The name Nulli Secundus is a Latin word that means second to none.
How to get involved
Nulli Secundus welcomes persons between the ages of 19-35 years old within the local church. Anyone desirous of joining this dynamic team can contact the church office of FAOGW on telephone numbers 592-225-9015, 592-225-1133 or 592-225-7400. The group environment is supportive in nature and one that challenges youths to develop their God-given potential. The group also has various internal teams such as legal, science, business, art and engineering, representative of the areas of career interest for most of Nulli’s members.
Recognition and Achievements
The work of Nulli Secundus over the years has not gone unrecognised. The group was awarded for its service in volunteerism at the 5th Annual National Youth Awards (Guyana) in 2019. This award honoured the services Nulli provided to communities across Guyana, such as the enhancement of the main visitors’ area of the Kaieteur National Park, and providing life skills training to residents of remote indigenous communities.
Nulli Secundus after receiving National Youth Award
Nulli Secundus has also seen tremendous self-development amongst its members over the past ten years and takes pride in being able to inspire members to achieve the highest order of excellence. The group actively advocates for being catalysts of change and part of the development of one’s country. This necessiatates skills and talents being honed in preparation for the work to be done. To this end, several members have achieved academic excellence in the following fields of study:
- The President, Mr. Martin Massiah, has graduated with a Degree and Master’s in International Business
- The Vice President, Ms. Tiffany David, has completed a Bachelor of Laws Degree and is now a practicing Attorney-at-Law.
- The Treasurer, Ms. Shaunette Lee, is now a trained teacher and the holder of a Degree in Education Home Economics.
- Other members, Ms. Adielle Rosheuvel, Mr. David Braithwaite, Ms. Giselle Sealey and Denita Gillis have since graduated with Degrees in Mathematics, Public Management and Medical Technology respectively.
- Younger members have performed exceptionally well at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and have taken steps in pursuit of their careers in fields such as Aeronautical Engineering, Teaching, Robotics, Accounting and Medical Technology among others.
- Other members are also pursuing studies in International Relations, Public Management, Tourism, Banking and Finance, Certified Accounting Technician (CAT), Agriculture, Law and Actuarial Science, at the University of Guyana, Accountancy Training Centre (ATC) and the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus in Jamaica.
The work of Nulli Secundus is ongoing and the organisation plans to aggressively pursue its goal of youth empowerment and community development as it continues to prepare today’s youth to assume future leadership roles. The leadership of Nulli Secundus wishes to express their gratitude to everyone who has and continues to contribute to the growth and the success of their endeavours.
