Good-bye Guyana!

Hello everyone,

Wow, these past 8 weeks of project have flown by! We cannot believe that today is our last day in Guyana and that it is time for us to pack up our suitcases, while we head off on our separate journeys. 

This past weekend, we traveled as a group up to the Essequibo River; we thoroughly enjoyed the mini-bus ride (thanks to the driver for playing some of our favourite tunes that begun the sing-alongs!) and the beautiful (and bumpy!) boat ride. Once arrived, we were stunned by the pristine beauty of the coastal area. We also explored several Amerindian villages and met with the captains and leaders of the communities. Our guide, Mr. Alves, from the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, introduced us to many other local young volunteers and peer educators. We exchanged resources and activity manuals with them, and are excited to incorporate some of their awesome activities when we update our manual. We even joined some of the volunteers on their Information Technology outreach in an Amerindian community, Theresa’s Village, where we got to camp out in the community centre! Before their IT classes began, we taught a lesson on sexual health to some youth and young mothers from the community. We had met with the nurse of the community the previous day, and tried to incorporate the relevant health concerns that she discussed with us. Although we did not do as much teaching as anticipated, we had a great time and feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to see more of the country, meet local volunteers, and do some health outreach. 

All 6 of up at the Essequibo River

This morning, we had our final appearance on NTN This Morning, where we discussed self-esteem and leadership. We want to thank Reyaz Husein for welcoming us not only to his school, but also introducing us to the rest of Guyana via his morning show. We had so much fun and can’t wait to continue our partnership next year!

We cannot say thank you enough to all of those who have helped make our project extremely successful:

• The wonderful teachers and students we have worked with

• The selfless ladies who run the youth-friendly spaces

• The warm hospitality at Rima’s Guesthouse and Shivani’s house in Berbice

• The friendly cab drivers and restaurant staff

• Friends and family back home

• All donors, sponsors, and each individual who helped contribute to the funding of our project!

• Our partners at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (Ms. Toney and Ameshwar) 

• Our AWESOME project directors, Beth and Joe, for preparing us and supporting us throughout project

Although we are sad to be leaving Guyana, we are extremely grateful for this experience and all the wonderful people we have met and worked with along the way. 

We may have been the ones up at the board with the chalk in our hands, but the most valuable lessons were the ones we learned from the students and youth of Guyana. 

Lots of love,

Allie, Adam, Haily, Janet, Kate & Kevin