CYPCC takes Information Technology to indigenous schoolchildren of remote jungle community ….Other strategic youth development interventions agreed with village leaders

Dozens of Guyanese Amerindian schoolchildren from the remote villages of Orealla and Siparuta located deep in the jungle on the bank of the Corentyne River which borders Suriname, will soon have a link with the rest of the world via internet following a donation of two fully loaded computer systems by the Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre (CYPCC).

The internet ready computer systems, worth about US$2,400 were presented to the Amerindian Hostel at Springlands village, in the border town of Corriverton about 50 miles by river from the two villages in the interior which have also never had telephone service until recently.

The Corentyne River, using small wooden boats with outboard engines, is the only way to get to the villages because there are no roads and air travel is too risky. CYPCC is even going the extra mile to advocate for free internet connections to the hostel so that the students can browse the World Wide Web as soon as possible.

The two Dell computers, with stabilizers and Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) units, will bring tremendous relief to the Amerindian students who, like their peers from the coastland, are required to do assignments, research and other projects, but until now had no proper facilities to do their work.

CYPCC's landmark intervention, which was highly commended by village leaders, other officials of the two communities, the Ministries of Education and Culture, Youth and Sports, came just eight days after Regional Director, Mr. Henry Charles and visiting Anguilla Director of Youth, Mr. Lenox Proctor toured the hostel supported by the St Francis Community Developers (SFCD).

The donation was made under CYPCC's Sustainable Livelihood programme geared towards ensuring that young people from special communities and in special circumstances are provided with the necessary tools for empowerment. Mr. Charles and CYPCC Programme Manager Youth Development, Ms Dwynette D. Eversley traveled to the border town on the Corentyne River to make the presentation.

To keep students engaged and support their empowerment, it was agreed at a meeting with Mr. Charles, Ms. Eversley, SFCD and village leaders, that two early programmes will be delivered by Commonwealth Youth for Positive Living (CYPL) Intern, Ms Natasha Grovesnor on May 26 and 27, followed by a weekend personal development retreat on June 2 and 3 delivered by Commonwealth Youth Credit Initiative (CYCI) Coordinator in the county of Berbice, Ms. Hazel Ross-Benn.

CYPC also promised to undertake an initial visit to Orealla and Siparuta during June 21 to 23 to better inform areas of support to youth for Enterprise Development training and other leadership and development training. In principle, CYPCC is hoping to develop and run a customized Enterprise Development programme to meet the needs of the two villages in support of their current and potential business initiatives.

CYPCC will also customize and deliver a one week leadership and life skills interactive session for students at the hostel and others in Corriverton in Grades 7-9 during July 30 to August 04.     

Addressing a small gathering of students, parents, teachers, community leaders and well wishers, the Regional Director noted that CYPCC decided to make the contribution of computers and equipment because it is convinced that they will contribute to the empowerment of the young people in the jungle community.

"There is a serious problem caused by the digital divide but sometimes we fail to realize that there are some people and communities who do not have access to technology and this is creating a problem," Mr. Charles said, adding that technology alone is not sufficient, more work has to be done with the young people to help them develop leadership potential.

Stating that young people are usually described as leaders of tomorrow, Mr. Charles emphasized that this tendency maybe a convenient ploy to postpone our social and moral responsibility to engage them as valuable strategic partners in the development process. "The reality is that you are a citizen of your country and a member of your community…you have rights but you also have responsibilities. One of the ways you can exercise your responsibility is to get involved in youth groups and other community organizations," he advised.

While acknowledging the plight of the Amerindians who have to travel more than two hours by river out to the coastland to Corriverton, the Regional Director alluded to the children of Northern Uganda, many of whom were forced to become child soldiers and later left unskilled and uneducated after the war was over.

According to Mr. Charles, the Commonwealth Secretariat, through the CYP, had to intervene to help these children, most of whom have never completed primary school and have never seen a secondary school, by establishing skills training and other projects to reintegrate them into the education system there. "When you think your situation is bad there is always somebody who is worse off," the students were told.

In other countries, the Regional Director added, children are taking care of their brothers and sisters or their sick parents who are dying of AIDS and thus being deprived of the positive childhood experiences necessary for their rounded socialization.

Meanwhile, he reiterated that while communities should appreciate the work being done by international and foreign agencies, if the villagers want to develop in a process that does not alienate their traditional knowledge, values and wisdom, they must encourage their own young people to take up youth development as a career option.

Executive Director of the Food For the Poor charitable organization in Guyana, Mr. Leon Davis, who also donated furniture and equipment to the hostel at the same function, welcomed the initiative of CYPCC stating that no one agency can solve the problems of poverty and empowerment in a society.

Mr. Davis called for the establishment of a strategic working relationship with CYPCC and promised to discuss the framework of this proposed partnership at a meeting with his directors in Miami in early June.