Kobe Smith’s fight for better healthcare fuelled by loss of mother 

By Faith Seabra 

In 2016, Kobe Smith lost his mother—not just to cancer, but to a system that failed her.

“She died not only because cancer is deadly and dangerous and terrible, but she died also because she lacked access,” said Smith.

The resources existed, but they were out of reach. His mother’s death was preventable, and that fact drives him to ensure Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) can provide affordable, if not free, services to the women of Guyana.

“I keep thinking of my mother. Of the mothers and sisters and girlfriends of even those I’ve never met. I’m going to use my personal loss to ensure that persons are able to benefit from services they ordinarily cannot.”

Now 27, Smith stands as the youngest Executive Director of GRPA, the country’s leading organisation for sexual and reproductive health services. His mission is deeply personal: to ensure that no woman is denied the care she needs simply because she can’t afford it.

“We need to look at the national context: Women are dying.”

Kobe doesn’t just advocate for better healthcare access; he challenges the very culture that shapes it. And part of that means holding men accountable.

His frustration is clear. In his view, the responsibility for sexual health has been unfairly placed on women for too long. Men must take ownership.

“Men really need to step up. It’s 2025 and we’re still talking about the same things our parents were talking about 25 years ago,” he said regarding the rampant transmission of sexually transmitted ailments.

In a country where sexual health is still treated as a taboo topic, GRPA has taken an unconventional approach: humor, boldness, and social media.

“We can’t just tell people, ‘Get tested.’ That doesn’t work. So we had to get innovative,” Kobe explains.

One of GRPA’s most viral campaigns involved using fruits to demonstrate different penis sizes and condom options. It was cheeky, clever, and impossible to ignore.

“Some may say ‘oh it’s too comedic,’” he admits, “but it really isn’t. The information has always been out there, but people don’t actively seek it.” So they made it unavoidable.

The response? Thousands engaged, thousands learned.

“We have to be creative, innovative, and bold. That’s our responsibility.”

For Smith, advocacy isn’t a career, it’s a promise. A way to ensure that no woman is denied care, that no girl grows up without reproductive health knowledge, and that his mother’s story doesn’t repeat itself. His loss has become a national fight. And he’s not backing down.