Narine Dat Sookram, who was recently named one of the most “Famous People of Guyanese Heritage” living abroad, is a social activist, radio host, community builder and an author of the book, “The Teenage Years”. He is the recipient of over 100 awards/ recognitions, some of which include: World of Difference 100 Award, 2013; Who’s Who in the World, 2013; The Canadian Encyclopaedia Inclusion 2013; The Caring Canadian Award 2013; Canada’s Top 25 Immigrant Award, 2013 (the only Guyanese to receive this nationwide award this year) and many more.
He is now among some of the most famous faces like pop singer superstar Rihanna and Dr Deborah Persaud, who heads the research team that made headlines around the world with curing a baby of the AIDS virus.
Narine gained fame through his community radio show “Caribbean Spice Radio”, the only programme on 100.3 Sound FM to win the People’s Choice Award for Favourite Caribbean Music and Favourite World Music. The show airs live every Sunday from 19: 30-20: 30h on 100.3 FM on the dial, 946 on Rogers TV and worldwide on www.soundfm.ca.
The Guyanese native who grew up in a small village close to the Number 63 Beach in Berbice, Guyana, is also known for producing the “Caribbean Dreams” concert in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, where new and young artistes get the opportunity to showcase their talent through the performing arts.
Since the inception of the show, many artistes have gone on to perform professionally, all because of Narine’s effort. He has become a cultural icon and has received the prestigious Denny Statue – A Waterloo Region Arts Award in the open category, making him the only Guyanese to date to win in that category.
Narine is more known for his philanthropic work through his non-profit organisation ACTIVE VISION Charity Association (www. activevisioncharity.com), where the purpose is to assist in providing schools in Guyana with textbooks and other school supplies, providing the opportunity for a better education.
Leader
Narine has a passion for social service work where he plays a lead role at Opportunities Waterloo Region as an education outreach coordinator, mobilising solutions to poverty, specifically targeting families with children to empower them to take the first step of free funding available to them from the government of Canada for their post-secondary education. Narine believes that the youths are the pillars of tomorrow.
His mentorship role includes mentoring internationally-trained professionals and empowering business women to become self-sufficient worldwide.
It was for that reason he received the World of Difference100 Award, 2013 by The International Alliance for Women (TIAW), which will be presented to him in Washington DC, U. S. at the Canadian embassy.
Each year, the TIAW World of Difference 100 Award recognises women and men who have advanced the economic empowerment of women, whether on a small scale in the developing world, or effecting change in the boardrooms of the business capitals of the world.
Established in 2008, the TIAW World of Difference 100 Award has garnered worldwide attention for the high calibre of achievement and change leadership demonstrated by its recipients.
The awards celebrate the inspiring, courageous, tenacious and creative achievements of the extraordinary champions of women’s economic advancement, and of course, Narine excels with those qualities.
He has become a role model both locally and internationally and has continued to make Guyana and his fans around the world proud. He is very deserving of the “Famous People of Guyanese Heritage” inclusion.
