Twenty-six women, ages 18 to 55, from Baramita village, Matarkai Subdistrict, Region 1, are currently engaged in a literacy and numeracy program. This program aims to break the cycle of poverty and support sustainable progress by enhancing their capacity, fostering empowerment, and enabling active community participation. It’s a second chance at learning for the women, all of whom missed the opportunity to participate in the formal education system.
The program focuses on basic literacy and numeracy skills, such as learning and printing the letters of the alphabet, understanding the phonetics of each letter, learning to count and print numbers from zero to one hundred, simple addition, subtraction, and money transactions, and learning the calendar and how it works.
A unique curriculum was designed to ensure the program’s effectiveness and relevance. This curriculum guarantees a culturally sensitive approach and provides culturally relevant materials that resonate with the women’s daily lives and experiences. What’s more, the tutors employed are not just educators but community members who understand the unique challenges and aspirations of the women they teach.
At the end of the six-month program, the women will gain practical literacy and numeracy skills that directly apply to their daily lives. They will be able to write and spell their names, those of their partners and children, commonly used words, the name of their village, and their date of birth. They will also be able to compute their age and identify the days of the week and months of the year. These skills will empower them to navigate their world more effectively and participate more fully in their community.
The project’s first phase was recently completed, and a small graduation ceremony was held to celebrate the women’s achievements. The tutors applauded the women’s efforts and commitment to the program, while the Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Andrea Benjamin, encouraged them to continue and complete the program. “Literacy opens doors to new opportunities, empowering you to reach your fullest potential,” she stated. “Every word you read and write is a step towards a brighter future for yourself and your community.” The recently elected Toshao, Ms. Sharmaine Rambajue, thanked the women for their participation and stated that she is proud of them for taking the necessary steps to transform their lives.
This program is part of Food For the Poor (Guyana) Inc.’s strategic plan to empower vulnerable populations for sustainable development. According to the United Nations, women and girls can do everything when they have access to education; when they know how to read, they can participate in social and political activities, make better-informed decisions, and transform their lives and communities.