In a solemn ceremony blending spiritual reverence with community recognition, the Anglican Diocese of Guyana has permanently immortalized the legacy of women’s rights advocate Waveney Benjamin through architectural dedication. The former Convent of the Good Shepherd at the Queenstown intersection of Lance Gibbs and Oronoque Streets now officially bears the name The Waveney Benjamin Building, housing the Mothers’ Union Day Care Centre that she helped establish.
The ceremonial redesignation occurred during Evening Prayer services on March 25, 2026—a date carrying profound symbolic significance. Presided over by The Right Reverend Charles Davidson, Bishop of Guyana, the event gathered clergy, Mothers’ Union representatives, and community members in a collective tribute to Benjamin’s transformative social work.
Reverend Mother Wendell Roberts, former MU president, delivered a commemorative address highlighting Benjamin’s nineteen-year tenure as Diocesan Worker. Her pioneering efforts expanded the organization’s reach across Guyana’s diverse regions, including remote hinterland communities. Beyond geographical expansion, Benjamin’s visionary leadership materialized through the creation of the Mothers’ Union’s inaugural daycare facility—an institution sustaining early childhood education for over thirty years.
The temporal alignment of the ceremony revealed multiple layers of significance: March 25th marked both Benjamin’s original MU membership date and the liturgical observance of Lady Day within the Anglican tradition. Serendipitously, the date also coincided with Bishop Davidson’s ordination anniversary, creating a multidimensional celebration of spiritual service.
The late Mrs. Benjamin, spouse of Major the Reverend Canon Neil Benjamin, extended her humanitarian commitments beyond the Mothers’ Union to various Anglican and interdenominational initiatives. Pending final architectural renovations, formal commemorative plaques will be installed to permanently designate the building that now eternally honors her community legacy.