“I got the chance to look at issues that I would be able to channel to the relevant authorities to make lives better for the people.”By Leon SuseranJust mention the existence of credit unions and cooperatives in Guyana and the name ‘Jenny’ Conway immediately comes to mind. She has dedicated a large portion of her life to building and shaping this vital financial institution and ensured its longevity and sustenance over the years of which she was in its charge.Jennifer ConwayHer service, too,Camiseta Fc Barcelona 2019, around her community, built her a reputation that is strong and binding, especially through her long years of service in the much respected Lions Club.This week, we introduce you to Jennifer Conway, born at Number 40 Village, West Coast of Berbice to Alfred Faucett and Elfrida Fortune-Arthur.‘Jenny’ attended the Lichfield Primary School followed by the New Guyana High, Comprehensive High and Johnson’s High. She, like many others, wrote the College of Preceptors Exams thus enabling her to pursue her professional career. She desired to become a nurse.This desire was nurtured by folks in the village, but her real love was in the field of secretarial work and related studies in short-hand and typing. Conway migrated to Bermine Housing Scheme in New Amsterdam.“I didn’t really give nursing much thought growing up, as there were not many opportunities at the time to enter that field. So as I advanced in age, I thought that I would maybe look at secretarial studies.”She did courses in Cooperatives and enrolled for classes at the Kuru Kuru College in 1978 where she pursued Credit Union and Management and learned the whole gamut about the operations of the former. During this period, Conway became involved with the Committee of Management of the Credit Union, a position which she held for the next twelve years.She was an avid and dedicated farmer, too. And this earned her a winning place in the farming and gardening competitions back in the day.“I just like farming. I grew up in cash crop and cattle farms— my grandparents used to take me to the farms…so when I came to New Amsterdam, when I wasn’t employed, I did farming.”Lion Conway, under her Presidency, donating chairs to a special needs school in New Amsterdam several years ago.She did this on her own, since her husband had his full-time job. She made the news in a Guyana Chronicle article of November 26,Nuova Maglia Juventus 18/19, 1984, “Agriculture is the base for feeding family, says Urban Garden Winner.” Conway explained that from the sale of the first crop of tomatoes, her family was able to purchase a length of hose.“All surplus of green vegetables and milk from our two cows were distributed to relatives and sold around the community.” She was a dedicated farm-girl back then and endorsed domestic agricultural practices, the bedrock for supporting families.Upon completion of studies at Kuru-Kuru, she became employed with the Berbice Mining Enterprises (Bermine) in the inventory section as well as the benefits office and accounting department. Afterwards, she became acquainted with popular New Amsterdamer Mrs. Brenda Johnson, who was a dedicated community worker and nurse, and who was also actively involved with the People’s National Congress (PNC). Johnson invited Conway to PNC meetings and later took her around to do community work in the town. Conway was subsequently employed with the PNC as a Field Officer. “Those years were memorable. I recall visiting house-to-house to do the census. More importantly, I got the chance to look at issues that I would be able to channel to the relevant authorities to make lives better for the people.“I think I had the opportunity to see poverty in its true sense. I worked as a Field Officer in the depressed area of Angoy’s Avenue, and going there to just check, you weren’t only doing political work, you were going to check to see why the children weren’t attending school and if there was any way that you could have helped.”“I would have done that along with Brenda Johnson and the welfare group. We worked assiduously during this period and helped to improve the lives of the persons living there, and I tried to help in whatever way I could… I enjoyed that and I continued to be a community worker.”In 1997, having gained immense training and experience in the field of cooperativism, she took on a full-time job at the New Amsterdam Cooperative Credit Union as the Secretary/Manager. Having assumed that position, she was encouraged to use her expertise to examine and assess the operations of overseas credit unions and cooperatives. Conway earned two scholarships to do this, visiting Canada and Israel.Community service: Ms. Conway laying groundwork on a bridge project.Apart from her work in the credit union and cooperatives,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, she has given