An organisation working towards a better future for the Rupununi

By Shaniya Harding

“HAPPY wildlife, happy life” is the motto of Qswin Davids and his organisation. The Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) project was launched in Guyana in 2018 and is a champion for environmental conservation and a beacon for a brighter future for the wildlife of the Rupununi.

The programme is a collaborative effort amongst various organisations, aiming to reach the furthest and most environmentally rich corners of the world. The SWM in Guyana works primarily in the Rupununi region and with its people.

Apart from Oswin as the coordinator, the SWM currently has approximately 250 persons on board, most of whom are part-time. Oswin and his group, however, are a part of 20 persons who are on board and fully committed to the SWM.

Founded on transparency and trust.
The SWM today has done more and has had more success than the team ever thought possible. But to launch a programme like this, in a place like the Rupununi was no simple task. And it required a lot of consulting, planning and partnerships. In November of 2018, it was launched in Manari Ranch in Region 9.

Although he was not a part of the organisation from its inception, Oswin explained how SWM was formed, saying, “We meet with all the local partners that we will be working with. There, we had to present what the SWM will look like in five years.” And after their proposal was accepted, the SWM embarked on what is arguably one of the most important aspects of their work: building relationships.

Working with the communities and people of the Rupununi presents various challenges. Oswin explained the programme’s first task of visiting the Rupununi villages, saying, “The first thing the project deals with is visiting communities to present what the programme is all about, and to have agreements with community leaders.”

The SWM has fought to develop a relationship unlike any other within the communities they work with. They have managed to do this by holding true to their founding principles: respect and transparency. As Oswin stated, “Once you visit the communities, we have to get their permission before we do any activities as it relates to wildlife conservation. So, we started visiting communities in the region and Region 9 is made up of 57 communities. The idea is to visit all 57 to present the idea.”

The terrain, weather and human resources are just a few of the factors that affect the SWM’s ability to reach the areas they have in mind. And although they have not had the opportunity to reach all 57 villages in their first phase, they have managed to reach a staggering 55 Rupununi riverine areas. Moving into their plan’s second phase, the SWM has done more than anyone would have thought imaginable, from saving animals to replanting trees. The SWM is slated to have continued success and a strong relationship with the people of the Rupununi.

Having been born and raised in the Rupununi himself, the work the SWM is doing holds a special place in his heart. Oswin was born in one of the Rupununi 5 sub-districts called the deep south Rupununi, located at the furthest edge of Guyana. He grew up in Marurama village in an area he described as where the savannah ends and the rainforest begins.

Oswin had a simple upbringing where he fell in love with animals. As he said, “I grew up very simple, very humble. I recall when I was very young my grandmother used to take me to ranches, where she worked at a ranch. I grew up loving animals.” He remembers seeing animals in the savannah like jaguars and deer and such experience he believes helped his love for wildlife bloom.

Language could be the first barrier or the initial bridge formed in a relationship. In Oswin and the SWM’s case, their aim is to have it be the first step in having a good relationship. ” I speak my local language, which is Wapishiana. That is a must if you are willing to work with conservation bodies or agencies together with the American communities. You have to be a bilingual person; you have to speak their language.” Oswin stated.

He then emphasised the importance of Culture and tradition in the people aspect of Wildlife conservation, saying, “Culture is very critical as well; you need to speak their language. Because when you do a presentation, nobody wants to hear it in English. I hate English as well. I prefer to speak in my local language. And of course, we live very close to Brazil so you have to speak Portuguese.”

Despite its major accomplishments, the SWM has had its fair share of challenges, issues and temporary roadblocks. “The terrain and weather patterns as well. But the location between places is so distant. And most often it is the funding as well,” he explained. The SWM has turned this into another way to develop themselves and others. And has begun teaching other organisations how to obtain funding from international bodies.

The team’s biggest successes to date by far simply has to be the amount of people it has managed to reach and the number of relationships it managed to form. In the few short years it has existed, the SWM team has made strides that have not only helped but also encouraged many others to join the environmental fight. From teaching children the importance of trees, to planting hundreds themselves, the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme will continue to represent Guyana’s Rupununi.