FIRST Lady Sandra Granger on Friday extended felicitations to the graduates of the Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP) Programme, and lauded the founders of the Lusignan-Good Hope Learning Centre for their holistic approach to education.The graduation ceremony was held at the centre’s Lusignan, East Coast Demerara location, where the First Lady, addressing an audience that included United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway; cadets and other members of the United States Army, lauded the centre as a beacon for East Coast villages.

It has become “an unofficial community centre, where people come in the hope that their problems will be solved,” she said.

The First Lady noted that, over the past year, her office has teamed up with the centre on a number of empowerment initiatives. The first Self Reliance and Success in Business workshop for women was hosted there. The centre and its parent body, Restoring Hope International, recognise that “education is the primary tool for moving people from poverty to prosperity,” the First Lady said.

Its mission “…is fuelled by the firm belief that education is the surest route out of poverty. But this centre does not only focus its energies on addressing the problems of illiteracy and innumeracy; it is concerned about the environment in which the children grow, and the social and economic challenges they face,” she said.

Ambassador Perry Holloway said that despite the socio-economic challenges children sometimes face, he hopes the children of Guyana are on their way to living ‘the good life’ promised by President David Granger.

“You are the future of Guyana, the future of the region and the future of the world,” he said.

The graduates, who ranged in age from six to 16 years old, were, over four days, taught leadership skills by a group of students enrolled in the United States Cadet programme. The children hailed from Good Hope, Lusignan, Beterverwagting, Mon Repos, Annandale and other East Coast areas. The course is part of the humanitarian service activities hosted by the US Embassy under the CULP Programme, with its host population.

“This was a huge project and a huge honour for the cadets of the United States to be able to participate,” said Captain Christopher Hill of the United States Army.

A release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said the Lusignan-Good Hope Learning Centre was established by Ms Sandra Shivdat 11 years ago, with support from her husband. Over the past eight years, it has hosted programmes aimed at improving children’s learning outcomes by providing training in literacy,

numeracy and other skills.