The Rotary Club of Stabroek, Georgetown, continues to chart its path as a new contributor to the development paradigm of  Guyana. The club will be celebrating its fifth year of existence in May this year and it has already carved its niche,  “literacy.” The club recognizes that illiteracy is counterproductive to socio-economic development, the fight against poverty, and  people liberating themselves from oppression.
A release from the Rotary club points out that Guyana has an abundance of natural resources which affords it a comparative  advantage to develop than that of a country lacking such resources. However, abundance of natural resources does not  automatically transform an economy to a developed state.
“The natural resources need to be utilised at their optimum and this is only possible if Guyana has the requisite manpower  to harness these resources. A literate economy is better positioned to accelerate its development agenda and has a greater  chance of reducing anomalies that hinders development.”
Stabroek Rotary has been working on simple and creative ways to break the cycle of illiteracy.
“Our plethora of initiatives includes reading and providing books and writing materials to children in the villages of  Kabakaburi, Nismes/Bagotsville/La Grange, Buxton and from Ithaca to Belladrum. Apart from these initiatives, the club, in  its current Rotary year, executed a transition seminar for primary school students entering into secondary school. The  objective of the seminar was to expose both students and parents to knowledge and skills that will enable them to be better  prepared for the transition into secondary schools. The club also chartered an Interact club (youngest grouping of the  Rotary family, high school students aged 12-18) at St Joseph’s High School. The students have been exposed to leadership  development and literacy related activities.”
The club recognised one of its Volunteer Teacher, Yutende Grant, for her outstanding contributions in promoting literacy at  its project site in Ithaca, Region 5. The recognition was done late last year at a special dinner meeting earmarked for  observing Rotary’s vocational month.
“Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to develop their knowledge and potential so they can  participate fully in the development agenda of their community and wider society. The Rotary Club of Stabroek will continue  to support literacy efforts in its communities of focus and beyond and promote Rotary International ideals of literacy for  sustainable development”, the statement concluded.