She carries herself with such sophistication that she easily exudes an aura that appeals to the masses. It might have been acquired over time but she owns it so well you’d think she was born with it.
She is Poonam Singh. Singh is swiftly becoming a true Guyanese icon – a patriotic personality who sells Guyana very well.
If you don’t know of her then you have been under a rock in a land very far away that is void of technology.
One listen to her soulful and very catchy vocal single and you would immediately want to know more about this young lady.
Her lyrical masterpiece has understandably been making waves throughout Guyana and even further a field and you’ll have no question about her origin when you hear it, or see the supporting video for that matter. It is appropriately titled G.U.Y.A.N.A and basically tells a story about the beauty of Guyana, a country touted to have six united races.
Singh, who is of East Indian descent and hails from the West Bank of Demerara, first shot to fame in 2011 when she competed in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) Jingles and Song competition.
She placed second but her voice and stage presence certainly left an indelible mark in the minds of many.
This stunning songbird was not fazed because she didn’t claim the coveted jingles crown, in fact, she was satisfied that she had done her best and that was good enough for her.
Born on February 19, 1995, Singh revealed that she had long embraced the notion that “when I get older I will never pursue something that I don’t love.”
She, moreover, has been living by the Maya Angelou inspired mantra “success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it”.
Still a very young and vibrant young woman, she ventured off to pursue tertiary education at the University of Guyana. Communication Studies was her choice as she saw this as an initial step to venturing into law studies. She has since graduated with a diploma and is now pursuing her law degree from the University of London through Nations University of Law.
It might have been the genuine exposures about herself on social media that made her rather suitable to represent Guyana at a level the she would have never imagined.
Poonam was randomly, or so it may seem, selected to represent Guyana as Miss Global International-Guyana. Had she been told she was born for a life of pageantry she would have fiercely disagreed.
“If you told me in 2015 that I was going to be the next Miss Global International- Guyana, I would’ve stared at you until you changed your statement. Mainly because, I always thought, ‘oh pageants are for tall, beautiful girls with perfectly light skin and an exquisite body’. But now that I’m the new Queen I realize that it is really and truly not about a perfect body or a perfect face,” Poonam explained.
She was selected for the task through a screening process by the directing manager of Miss Global International-Guyana, Mr. Hashim Ali. And according to Poonam, “I was very happy because I thought it would’ve been a perfect way to get my voice out there…”
She hopes through this avenue she would be able to speak up about something that she recognizes as a challenge to her homeland – suicide. Guyana has long been dubbed ‘the suicide capital of the world’.
The World Health Organisation in its 2009 Report rated Guyana as the country with the highest rate of suicide in South America and the Caribbean. Although Government has disputed some of the claims about the local suicide rate, the number of cases reported has been viewed by Poonam as entirely too many for her native land.
Moreover, armed with the Miss Global International-Guyana Title, Poonam anticipates that she will be able to start a movement that will ultimately help to bring an end to suicide in this part of the world.
Her aim is to create a group where persons overwhelmed by suicidal thoughts or would have lost someone to suicide can reach out to others who are suffering. Among her primary targets will be school children. Moreover, Poonam has a plan to visit schools across Guyana and have motivational talks with children. She revealed that her intent is to “ensure at the end of the day, they can at least see that life is a precious gift that should be valued.”
Poonam in her noble quest embraces the notion that, “People will forget what you say to them but they will never forget how you made them feel. So if I can make them feel better, then my mission will definitely be accomplished.”
