The community of Parikwarunawa in Central Rupununi  is better off as a result of the revival of income-generating activities through the  women’s group livelihoods project, which was funded by the New Zealand High Commission Head of Mission Fund (HOMF).

According to a press release from the New Zealand High Commission, the project was started as a way of reviving the income-generating activities of the PK Women’s Group. Women were taught to sew using “new and refurbished sewing equipment”, while villagers were trained by a qualified technician contracted to Singer to conduct basic repairs to these machines. Additionally, the release notes, the carpenters in the community were trained in woodworking.
The release states that as part of the project,  one of the huts in the community was upgraded into “a fully functional, hygienic and well-equipped kitchen capable of serving hot meals and snacks.” As a complement to the kitchen, the project also provided for  establishing a one-acre vegetable garden, which  includes the first community owned and operated shade-garden in the region.
The release also stated that the community appointed a ‘Kitchen Garden Committee’, with Brian James as its president.  The garden currently houses rows of “thriving” bora, tomatoes, eshallot, calaloo and okra  in addition to the nursery beds flourishing with seedlings for pumpkins, cucumbers, celery and peppers.
The release also stated that besides funding and logistics coordination, all other facets of the project were carried out by the indigenous community, even as technical support was recruited in-country.
“ Specifically, support from the local branch of NAREI, (National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute), has led to the development of valuable partnerships that will help contribute to the sustainability of the project,” the release said.
Toshao John Daniels was quoted by the release as saying he was very happy with the results of the project, because “it shows what we can do, when we work together.”  He indicated that it made him feel good to know that the results of the project would also redound to the benefit of future generations.
Meanwhile, Violet Eusebio, Chairperson of the Women’s Group is also quoted as saying that she is proud of the way members have volunteered to work in the kitchen and turn it into a vibrant snackette.  The next step for the group is to obtain food hygiene certificates for the members and a licence for the premises.
The release noted that  members of the women’s group are operating the kitchen on a voluntary basis until it is sufficiently established to provide incomes for the group. The kitchen provides for children, teachers and working members of the community as well as visitors and travellers who pass through on their way to South Rupununi.
“Their achievement should be used as a case study on successful implementation of correctly targeted funding for projects that are community owned and supported by locally available and accessible technical experts with hands-on experience,”  Behi Barzegar, field coordinator for the project is quoted as saying.