AN international collaborative activity among the governments of Guyana, the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, aimed at increasing literacy among residents of the Amerindian community of Tobago Hill Village, in Region 1, has been launched. The Tobago Hill Adult Literacy Programme (THALP) is a new initiative which began with a few citizens assisting their neighbours to learn to read.
Classes are currently being held twice a week by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) in a community building in the village, while a new school building is under construction.
Tobago Hill, a small community of 176 persons, is now home to the formerly displaced residents of Sumotoo Creek, who were relocated by government in 2005.
Since their relocation, various development organisations have been working with the RDC and the Tobago Hill Village Council to help improve their community through sanitation programmes, agricultural projects, and the now ongoing THALP.
Minister within the Ministry of Local Government, and former Region 1 Chairman, Norman Whittaker, was instrumental in exploring possible avenues for funding for the initiative.  Whittaker believes that “education is integral to removing people out of poverty.”
He expressed satisfaction with the progress made thus far, and stated that the THALP programme could serve as a model for other literacy programmes throughout the country.
Minister Whittaker noted that literacy is easily taken for granted by those who can read; but for others, simple tasks such as reading medicine bottles, food labels, street signs, or even recognising a name may be a challenge, primarily due to difficulty in accessing educational resources.
Village Captain, Edmund Santiago expressed gratitude for the programme. “We’re happy for this opportunity, because many people are attending school for the first time,” he said.
Two retired teachers from the region are facilitating classes in the village two nights a week for a year, at which time the programme will be handed over to the participants.
Retired school teacher and literacy facilitator for the programme, Bernice Pierre, stated, “Our main goal is to help give the people of Tobago Village the literacy and numeracy skills they need to be able to better manage their community’s affairs. Learning to read and write is an essential step in their community’s development.”
Funding for the programme is being provided through a grant from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), in partnership with the New Zealand High Commission.
Based on the model of combining adult literacy instruction and community development, THALP facilitators seek to use the participants’ existing knowledge as stepping stones towards literacy.
US Peace Corps volunteer and THALP Project Manager, Nathaniel Stewart, stated that working with adults is different from working with children, since adults have a lifetime of knowledge that can be used in literacy work.