Many of us would have come a breathtaking photograph by Amanda Richards but not many of us know who Amanda Raichards is. It is that way because she is not the type of person who would be in your face and prefers to perform “silent service” without any expectation.
With personality and humbleness, one could only imagine what went through her mind when she first saw her name on the list of National Awarders for 2018 or when the calls came in and every time a congratulatory post appeared on social media.
“I was humbled and honored to have been nominated for this award, realizing that although my service to others is done quietly without expectation of benefit or reward, that someone noticed, and took the time to submit my name as someone deserving of such recognition. This award is an indication that I am on the right track, and will encourage me to continue to do what I do, and even more so in the future,” she notes.
Service have been at the center of Amanda’s life from an early age. She was always encouraged by her parents and extended family to be a well-rounded and disciplined person. She gained her early education at the St. Agnes Primary school, placed sixth in the country at the Common Entrance Examinations, and was offered a place at St Rose’s High School. Not only did she excel at her academics but Amanda took part in sports, earning a black belt in karate, and excelling at swimming.
She completed the YMCA 5 Star swimming course at the age of 6, and swam across the Demerara River at age 7. She also competed internationally in Trinidad and won several medals including one gold, and then at the Inter-Guiana Games, winning two gold medals and being judged best swimmer of the tournament. Additionally, she was recognized with an Honorable Mention for Sportswoman of the Year.
Amanda is also an Associate of the Institute of Canadian Bankers and holds a Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Currently, she is the Administrative Manager/Company Secretary of the Farfan & Mendes Group of Companies, and have been with the company for almost 25 years. 
In this capacity, and through the generosity and corporate social responsibility policies of the company, Amanda and her team are able to contribute nationwide to deserving charities and causes, national events, youth development, and skills training, as well as to the visual and performing arts, and sponsorship of sports teams and events.
So you see service has always been a part of her live and according to her it will remain. She notes that her upbringing instilled in her the need to help anyone to the best of her abilities. Her life has never been without strong female influences who would have broken barriers and encouraged her to do the same. “I joined the Rotaract Club of Georgetown, and served as President before becoming a Charter Member of the Rotary Club of Demerara, the first Rotary Club in Guyana to accept women to membership. I later served as President of that club and then President of the Rotary eClub of One World, an online Rotary Club based in California. I am still a member of the eClub. Outside of Rotary, I am a past president of the St Rose’s Past Pupils’ Association, and a current Director of the Institute of Private Enterprise Development,” Amanda related.
Back to her immaculate eye for capturing the perfect shot, Amanda relates that she has not always been interested in photography but got into it because she could not find the right pictures for her son’s school project. She said she then armed herself with a “point and shoot” camera and started her photography journey in 2009.
But prior to that she has been the subject of her father’s photography hobby during her childhood, adolescent and early adulthood days. From 2009 to now, she has not only continued on her photography journey but rather she has distinguished herself from the other by capturing the not necessarily captured.
Amanda enjoys the spontaneity and gets bored taking pictures at formal events, so the next time you see her with her camera in tow then give her a smile, you never know what magic she will create. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
