By: Niomi Williams | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN – The words of Roy T. Bennett—”every challenge we face today makes us stronger tomorrow”—ring true in the remarkable journey of Carl Handy. At just 25, Handy has transformed a childhood marked by “tremendous” poverty in Sophia, Georgetown, into a thriving career as the owner of his own technology firm, Kalpa Services.
In an exclusive interview with Nightly News on Friday, Handy recounted the immense hardships he and his family faced. Growing up in a single-parent household, he described their struggle with extreme poverty, often unable to sleep comfortably or eat consistently.
“The challenge of this life is intended to make us better, not bitter,” Handy stated, giving testimony to the difficult path he traveled.
The Turning Point: Central High and CXC
Handy’s academic path, a critical stepping stone, almost ended prematurely due to his family’s financial constraints. He disclosed that he would not have been able to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations at Central High School without a vital intervention.
“My aunt, who was a deputy of the school that I attended, Miss Khalia Paul… she actually sponsored my CXC bill and allowed me to write CXC. She was one of the persons who believed in me from the start,” Handy gratefully recalled.
Upon leaving school, Handy immediately sought employment to accumulate the finances needed to further his studies. This drive eventually led him to Antigua, where he enrolled to pursue Law.
A Spontaneous Leap of Passion
Halfway through his law program, Handy made a spontaneous, life-altering decision he has never regretted: he put law “on the back burner” to pursue what he was truly passionate about—software development.
He returned to Guyana, where he spent four years working at a technology company, gaining essential experience before taking the entrepreneurial leap.
Today, Carl Handy is the proud owner of Kalpa Services, a company dedicated to designing and building websites, mobile, and web applications. The firm’s reach is international, with most of his clients based in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany.
Pushing On: Resilience and Future Goals
Handy’s success is a testament to his resilience, passion, and labor, proving that “when our backs are against the wall,” giving up is not the only option. However, he acknowledges his journey is far from over.
He is currently collaborating on an international project called ‘The Keepers,’ which focuses on women and girls through the lens of five decades of hip-hop music and culture.
Reflecting on his biggest challenge—overcoming poverty—the young man from Sophia shared an inspiring message: “I have thought about giving up many, many times… but you need that drive. You need to dig deep within, find what motivates you and just keep pushing on.”
Handy’s final piece of advice for young people aiming to own their own businesses is simple: have a passion for it, and do not give up.
