PRINCIPAL of Bina Hill Learning Institute, Medino Abraham, on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, journeyed to Santa Rosa, Moruca, Region One (Barima-Waini) to launch a children’s storybook about Mr. Stephen Campbell.

Stephen Campbell was an Arawak Guyanese politician and political activist, and the first Amerindian Member of Parliament in Guyana.

He is also from Moruca and would have dedicated his life to improving education for the Wapishana people of the South Rupununi.

His hard work and commitment to helping his fellow Amerindians led to his recognition as the first parliamentarian by the late President Cheddi Jagan on September 10, 1957.

Abraham told the Guyana Chronicle that the book took three months to assemble before it was finally ready for the launch.

“This educational project involved several individuals, including the writer, the artists, the translator, sponsors, and the narrator, who told the story in the Lokono language to the children,” he said.

Abraham added that while the writer and artist are from Moruca Village, the translator of the Lokono language and the narrator are from Wakapoa Village, on the Pomeroon River in Region Two.

“I was part of a team that promoted the incorporation of the Wapishana language into school lesson plans for both teachers and students. We collaborated with local writers, artists, and storytellers to create stories that originated from the local environment, such as plants, animals, and birds,” Abraham said.

He reported that the stories also featured myths, legends, and narratives from elders about medicinal plants and other sources of knowledge within the community.

Abraham noted that the publication of this children’s story about Mr. Stephen Campbell was inspired by his previous experience working with the Bilingual Education Programme designed for Wapishana children in South Rupununi.

Additionally, he has a friend from Brazil who writes stories for Indigenous children and young adults to promote Indigenous literature and arts.

“As such, I decided to write a children’s book about Mr. Stephen Campbell, who was from Moruca and worked in the Rupununi to assist the people in education.,” he said.

Abraham stated that to produce the book, he delved into literature researched by Dr. Laureen Pierre and interviewed a few elders from Sawariwau Village, where Campbell first worked.

He explained that the reason for producing the book in both Lokono and English is to spark curiosity and interest among young children about the Lokono language, which is fading away in Moruca.

“We hope that some children will find it engaging to learn about their original language and contribute to its revival,” he said.

Abrham reasoned that the book is historical; it tells the true story of a significant figure and features simple language suitable for children.

He noted that writing it in English also supports literacy, allowing children to read about the life of a great Morucan.

Abraham pointed out that the book is tailored for early childhood pupils in primary school and was launched at the Santa Rosa Primary School, his alma mater. About 230 pupils currently attend the school.

He said moving forward, they plan to write more children’s storybooks about elders, plants, and animals from the local environment, as well as stories about landscapes, rivers, creeks, mangrove trees, and climate change to raise awareness of the environmental changes taking place.

Abraham disclosed that these stories will continue to be written in both Lokono and English for children and adults, contributing to the production of Indigenous literature.

“We hope to utilise modern technology, like artificial intelligence (AI) and social media, to promote our publications and productions,” he said.