“Women must choose sisterhood over competition”

The Mission and Ministry of Sunita Gopaul

By Bavina Sookdeo

For Trinidadian Sunita Gopaul, International Women’s Day is a time to pause — a sacred moment of reflection.

“International Women’s Day is really a day in which we as women… stop for a moment and reflect on your journey as a woman,” she said. “Reflect from your childhood, your teenage years, reflect on the things that you thought you could not get over… and yet you were able to do it because of your inner resilience. Because as women, we do not give up and many of us do not have the option of giving up. We are resilient.”  

She encourages women to see one another not as competition, but as sisters to uplift and empower. Having benefited from a network of supportive, selfless women throughout her own journey, she acknowledges that envy and misunderstanding can exist, particularly in workplaces and communities. However, she maintains that every woman is fighting her own battles, and instead of competing or lashing out, women must choose to encourage, inspire and stand together.

That firm belief — that women are wired with strength, resilience and divine purpose — is the foundation of everything she does. Through workshops, corporate sessions, youth programmes and now her newly launched book ‘Dear Sis, This Too Shall Pass,’ Gopaul has dedicated the last decade of her life to creating safe spaces where women and girls can rediscover their worth.

Fondly referred to as ‘Sunny,’ her children joke that “there’s Sunny changing the world, one workshop at a time.” She smiles at that. “Well, so be it.”

More than a decade ago, Gopaul launched the Whole Girl Workshop, a programme born out of concern for what she saw happening to young people in Trinidad and Tobago. “In T&T and in the Caribbean, we are exam-oriented and our kids go to school basically to pass exams and they lose so much of the essence of being a young person,” she explained.

What began with 25 girls has grown into biannual workshops in Port of Spain and San Fernando, reaching over 1000 young people through Whole Girl and her Speak Up sessions for both boys and girls.

The workshops address topics rarely prioritised in traditional classrooms: public speaking, entrepreneurship, mental health, social media awareness, dining etiquette, self-esteem and even introductory AI. “I wanted to have a safe space,” she said. “So often children feel unseen and unheard… they don’t feel as if they have a safe space or someone they can talk to.”

The impact is often visible in a matter of days. “In the public speaking session, some of them come in so shy and so unsure of themselves… but in the end…they stand up and they do their oral presentation with so much pride” she smiled.

Gopaul has worked with girls from diverse and sometimes difficult backgrounds, including some under police protection. What keeps her going, she said, is witnessing transformation. “To see how a week can change the way someone responds in an environment that encourages them, that tells them anything is possible… that is what keeps me going.”

Under the umbrella of ‘The Crowded Room,’ she also hosts forums and corporate workshops designed to “empower, educate and enlighten.” Sessions have ranged from event planning and marketing to AI 101, but the heart of her work remains women and young people. “So many times you see women who you think are so well put together on the outside, but they are also hurting on the inside,” she pointed out. “At the core, we are all the same. We just want to see our loved ones do better. And we want better for ourselves.”

Anyone who knows Gopaul will know she is truly an authentic individual and as a result, her mission is rooted in authenticity. “I love interacting with people, and I just like having deep and profound conversations,” she said. “When I host something, I try to make sure that it is impactful and empowering.”

And she is unapologetic about calling out what harms women. “I am not inspired by selfish women and women who feel that giving makes them reduce,” she said firmly. “Helping another sister to rise… doesn’t shrink us in any way. It should give you joy to see another human grow.”

Her latest project, ‘Dear Sis, This Too Shall Pass,’ marks a new chapter — one she describes as sacred. “This book is really about my personal test, my personal thoughts and my personal journey with faith,” she said. “We always say we can’t have testimonies without test.”

Written as a series of letters — “my soul to the soul of another woman” — the 84-page book traces the journey from darkness to joy. It addresses heartbreak, self-care, surrender and the power of faith. “There are times when I feel like I cannot get out of a situation and I surrender it,” she says. “Surrender really gives you peace.”

Central to the book is the reminder that no woman is alone. “You are never alone,” she stressed. “You have a power and that power is divine… whatever it is you are dealing with… this too shall pass.”

Self-love, she emphasises, begins with forgiveness. She explained, “We are so hard on ourselves… but we have to stop it right there and remember that we did what we did with the knowledge which we had. And now that we know better, we can make better choices. But your past does not define you.”

The book, available on Amazon, also highlights 13 women from the Bible who overcame doubt and adversity. “Saying yes to purpose… God will provide once you say yes,” Gopaul insisted. “There are many times that I said yes to things that I didn’t know… I said yes and always found a way.”

A mother of three, including two daughters, Gopaul says motherhood has shaped her evolution. “Being a mother of two girls is really what has shaped me into the person I am becoming — because I am still becoming,” she reflected.

She admitted she once parented from fear. “We want our children to go the safe path…but we have to be so careful that we do not impart our fears onto our children.” Today, she listens more than she instructs. “They teach me every day how to be a more graceful human being,” she said. “We need to listen to our children… not always feel as if we have to tell them how to do things.”

One daughter’s desire to pursue performing arts challenged her own comfort zone. “Why should I allow my fear to hold a child back?” she asked. “Our journey is our journey and their journey will be their journey.”

Gopaul does not pretend the path is easy. She speaks openly about workplace bullying, silent battles and menopause. “There are times when I don’t feel like getting up or doing anything… and the love for my family… is what makes me push,” she said. “Giving up is not an option.”

Her message to women who feel alone is that she has been there “…and we will all be there at some point in our lives. But you cannot give up.”

Strength, she insisted, is rooted in love. “At the essence of who we are is love and love is what keeps us going.” And for her, that love is inseparable from faith. “If I know nothing else in this world, I know that we are loved by a God who is so big and who will always be there to support us.”

If there is one thread running through all of Gopaul’s work, it is this: women must choose sisterhood over competition. “We have to be more like sisters rather than competition,” she said. “Supporting another woman does not take away from you. It does not diminish you as a person. It glorifies you.”

In a world quick to judge by title or status, she challenges that mindset. “I don’t need to know who you are to treat you better… you are a human being, and that is enough.”

Her call is for kindness in everyday encounters — to look the security guard in the eye, to thank the delivery driver, to make the invisible visible again. “We are all human beings,” she said. “We are all here to serve. We all deserve the same thing — to be loved and respected.”

And as long as she has breath and belief, Sunita ‘Sunny’ Gopaul intends to keep building rooms — crowded with women, faith, courage and conversation — where no one leaves unseen. “I am just one person,” she said. “But I will keep going as long as I can.”