FFTP partners with Canadian counterpart to launch literacy, numeracy project in Region 1

Food For The Poor (Guyana) Inc has partnered with Food For The Poor (Canada) to launch the Baramita Literacy Project: ‘Empowering Women and Girls through Literacy and Numeracy’, in Baramita, Region One (Barima-Waini).
Launched at the Baramita Primary School, the project, according to FFTP, would be completed in August 2024, and would benefit 30 women and girls from that community who have never attended school and/or lack basic foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

At the launching of the project, each participant was given a package which consisted of one bag, books, pencils, eraser, sharpener and crayons. Speaking at its opening ceremony, FFTP (Guy) Inc Social Worker/Programme Coordinator Stacy Parris said the launching marks a pivotal moment in the Baramita community, “as we gather to launch a literacy programme specifically tailored for the empowerment of women and girls.”
She added that in the heart of the rural landscape, education becomes a beacon of hope, and this initiative seeks to illuminate the path toward knowledge and self-sufficiency.
“Access to education is not just a right, but a catalyst for positive change. By focusing on literacy, we aim to break down barriers that have hindered the potential of our women and girls for far too long. As we embark on this journey, let us remember that an educated woman not only transforms her own life, but becomes a catalyst for the transformation of her community,” Parris has said.
According to Parris, this programme is more than just alphabets and numbers; it is about fostering confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging. She added that it would also open doors to opportunities that were once distant dreams, and explained that with every word learned, the participants would be scripting a narrative of empowerment, resilience, and progress.
Further, she encouraged the entire Baramita community to actively support and participate in the literacy endeavour. “Thank you for your commitment to the power of literacy; and let this programme be the cornerstone for a brighter and more inclusive Baramita,” she shared.
One of the tutors of the programme, Bissoonnauth Bacchus, commended FFTP (Guy) Inc on the work being done in Baramita. He relayed that FFTP (Guy) Inc has on numerous occasions made major investments in Baramita, such as donating hampers and grills; partnering with Stem Guyana to enhance the learning of students at the school; and donating tables and computers, among others.
Bacchus told the beneficiaries about the uniqueness of the programme, and how beneficial it would be as, at the end, they would have a better grasp of the English Language.
According to FFTP, in the first 12 weeks of the project, participants would be able to learn to print the letters of the alphabet, understand the phonetics of each letter, print their names, names of parents or children/husband, place of birth, birthday and dates, fill out a birth certificate form, and count to 100.
In the final 12 weeks, they would learn to print numbers to 100, simple math addition and subtraction, complete simple money transactions, read public signs and simple sentences, and learn the calendar and how it works.