Food For the Poor (FFTP) – Guyana Incorporated in partnership with Food For The Poor -Canada has launched the a literacy project under the theme, ‘Empowering Women and Girls through Literacy and Numeracy’ in Baramita, Region One.

The project was launched at the Baramita Primary School and is set to be completed in August 2024.
According to Food For the Poor- Guyana website, the project aims to benefit 30 women and girls from the community of Baramita, who have never attended school and or lack basic foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
At the launching of this initiative, each participant was given a package which consisted of one bag, books, and writing tools.

FFTP -Guyana’s Social Worker / Program Coordinator Stacy Parris said the day marks a significant moment in the Baramita community.

“In the heart of our rural landscape, education becomes a beacon of hope, and this initiative seeks to illuminate the path toward knowledge and self-sufficiency. Access to education is not just a right but a catalyst for positive change. By focusing on literacy, we aim to break down barriers that have hindered the potential of our women and girls for far too long.”
The Program Coordinator reminded them that an educated woman not only transforms her own life but is the fuel for the transformation of her community.

The program, according to Parris, is about more than just alphabets and numbers; it is about fostering confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging for the women.

She further related that it will open doors to opportunities that were once distant dreams, and explained that with every word learned, the participants will be scripting a narrative of empowerment, resilience, and progress.

She encouraged the entire Baramita community to actively support and participate in the literacy endeavor. Thanking them for their commitment to the power of literacy, she further urged them to let the program be the cornerstone for a brighter and more inclusive Baramita.

A tutor of the program, Bissoonnauth Bacchus commended FFTP Guyana on the work being done in the community. He relayed that the organization has on several occasions made significant investments in that community, such as donating hampers, grills, partnering with Stem Guyana to enhance learning at the school, donating tables and computers among others.

Bacchus told the beneficiaries about the uniqueness of the program and how beneficial it will be.

Moreover, in the first 12 weeks of the project, participants will be able to learn how to write the letters of the alphabet, understand the phonetics of each letter, write their names and the names of parents, children or spouse, birthdays and dates, fill out a birth certificate form and count to 100.

In the remaining weeks, they will learn how to write numbers to 100, basic math addition and subtraction, complete simple money transactions, read public signs and simple sentences, and learn the calendar and how it works.

Food for the Poor -Guyana Inc. is the largest charitable non-governmental organization (NGO) in Guyana. The work of FFTP Guyana is limited to charitable purposes within the 10 administrative Regions in Guyana.

The organization has grown tremendously over the past 32 years and has become the largest charitable organization in Guyana. The organization operates under the theme, “Transforming Communities, Renewing Hope, and Saving Lives.”