Our Story

JCI URBAN: The Timeline of Our Story

JCI Urban is the sixth Local Organization Member (LOM) of Junior Chamber International Suriname (JCI Suriname). The chapter is committed to creating a sustainable, positive impact on the youth in the Wanica and Para districts. JCI Urban was officially established on October 10, 2012, by Senator Rajiv Hieralal, with support from Senator Max Apapoe and the 2012 National President Marciano Lie A Young.

2010: Planting the Seed

In 2010, JCI Suriname recognized the need to expand its impact to other districts beyond Paramaribo. To explore this possibility, Gregory Tai-Apin, who was the National President at the time, initiated a feasibility study to determine if this expansion was viable.

2011: Laying the Foundation

The study was taken further in 2011 by National President Sybiel Jacott, who formed a dedicated commission led by Senator Max Apapoe, with Rajiv Hieralal and Vivian Redjopawiro as members. The main goal of the commission was to explore the steps needed to establish a JCI chapter in the district of Wanica.

The first activity toward this goal was a community meeting at the Wanica District Commissioner’s office, where people from the networks of the commission members were invited. Presentations were held to introduce the idea of forming a JCI chapter in Wanica and to spark interest among attendees.

From this group of interested individuals, future “Urbanites” Jency Kasandikromo and Manusama Sarmo joined the initiative..

2012: Taking Root and Growing Stronger

In 2012, National President Marciano Lie A Young appointed Rajiv Hieralal as Executive Director within the national board, tasking him with formally establishing the LOM in Wanica.

In March 2012, a large meeting was held at Lely Hills, attended by guests from Paramaribo, local community members personally invited by Rajiv Hieralal, and even the World President of JCI at the time, Bertolt Daems. That meeting drew several key future members, including Suzanne Essed, Xaviera L. Arnhem, and Raoul Lith.

Following this meeting, the group adopted the name “JCI Wanica Potential”. In April 2012, a provisional board was installed in the presence of a Vice President from Puerto Rico. The board members were:

Rajiv Hieralal – Local President
Xaviera L. Arnhem – Secretary
Suzanne Essed – Treasurer
Afaina Spierings-Flink – Vice President Individual/Community
Niels Spierings – Vice President Business/International

That same month, the board established a win-win partnership with Optiek All Vision, who became the sponsor of the official JCI Urban roll-up banner. To become a fully recognized JCI LOM, JCI Wanica Potential needed to meet two criteria:

A minimum of 20 paying members
Execution of at least one project aligned with the Active Citizen Framework (ACF)

Thanks to its initiatives, JCI Wanica Potential successfully reached 20 paying members and launched the impactful project “Let’s Beat Dengue – Clean Up the World” in September 2012, led by Jency Kasandikromo and Manusama Sarmo in collaboration with PAHO. The project met all ACF requirements.

Official Affiliation: JCI Urban is Born

Following the success of these activities and having fulfilled all LOM requirements, official affiliation took place on October 10, 2012, during the General Assembly. With this, the new LOM was formally welcomed under the name JCI Urban, and Rajiv Hieralal was appointed as its first Local President.

The name “JCI Urban”—creatively coined by 2012 Secretary Xaviera L. Arnhem—was chosen through a vote. The name signaled a modern, inclusive identity with a broader regional focus beyond Wanica, and it marked the beginning of a bold new chapter in the JCI Suriname story.

Our Core Values

The letters in URBAN each carry their own meaning, representing the core values of the organization:

U stands for Unique,

R for Realistic,

B for Bold,

A for Authenticity, and
N for Nerdy – knowledge-driven

Awards and Championships

Over the years, JCI Urban has proudly demonstrated its competitive spirit through active participation in national and international events. Our commitment to excellence has been recognized with several awards granted by JCI Suriname and JCI International, celebrating the success and impact of our community-driven projects.