Many roles for Zelisa

Zelisa Boodoosingh needs no introduction. Her soothing voice can be heard on her show ‘Suhana Safar’ of Radio Heritage 101.7 FM. Many know her from her days on Radio Shakti before she moved on to the south-based radio station.

She wears several hats. Zelisa worked as a financial consultant for both Carnival Cruise Lines in Miami, Florida and at Prime One Financial in Canada. Returning to TT, she worked at Radio Shakti’s ‘Subha Awaaz’ mid-morning session. She is the producer and host of ‘The Law and You’ and Your Health, Your Wealth. At Heritage Radio she created the programme ‘Star Child.’ This is a fun children’s programme aimed at challenging the young minds and giving children a chance to speak out, she said. Zelisa is also a lecturer at the Institute of Broadcasting Careers and conducts classes in public speaking and radio announcing. She is often contracted as a master of ceremonies for weddings and other public events.

Recently she joined the Magicwords’ Theatre Productions and is involved in theatre with a troupe from India. The visiting troupe is part of the Festivals of India Trade Show at the Divali Nagar site. Zelisa will play the role of Queen Kausilya of the Ramayan story.

In a world that is deteriorating at a swift pace, she has dedicated her life to the upliftment of the human spirit.

“Every human being must live their best life possible, that’s what I tell my listeners,” she says.

So what does a woman who seemingly has it all want? And how does she propose to achieve her goal of helping people realise the inner power and beauty in them?

“It’s one day at a time,” she remarked.

Two of her programmes ‘Without a Voice’ and ‘The Law and You’ are aimed at enlightening and educating people.

“I want people to know if they are unhappy and are worried about their future, they are not alone. Inflation, lack of jobs and opportunities plague the society. I want them to know that they are not alone in their struggle and must continue to persevere,” she urged.

‘Without a Voice’ is aired every Wednesday and is growing in popularity.

“I want people to see how fortunate they are. I showcased a woman who lost her breasts to cancer, the illness almost destroyed her life. But there she was sitting besides me in the studio, and telling the world of her journey. Whenever, I recall the determination in her eyes to survive no matter what life brought, I feel courage entering my heart,” Zelisa said.

On the other hand, she says, ‘The Law and You’ is a more sombre show. The purpose for hosting and producing the show is to let people understand the intricacies of the legal system, since it plays such an important role in society. Zelisa’s lectures also include ‘Focus on Teenage Women.’

She warns young people that there are men out there just waiting to prey on them and that they should be extremely careful of those with whom they talk or laugh. She urges young women to concentrate on becoming successful in a career or to get involved in sports or art to discipline their minds.

“I believe that people on the whole need to get involved in something positive that will give them the fulfillment they are looking for and help them to enjoy life,” she said.

Zelisa hopes to get into television broadcasting so that she can host outreach programmes geared toward young women. She also has a passion for drama and she is concentrating on writing pieces that carry messages for young people.

She is a believer in an ancient Indian saying, “knowledge is the key to utopia.”

“The more people know, the more they understand, the better lifestyles they will develop. It is about empowering each individual to live the (desired) life and nurture the spirit to survive the inevitable blows and tragedies that the tides of time bring.”