Volunteer Stories - Suzanne
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There is a fine breeze that blows often in Yupukari. At times the wind has shown itself in full force. Volunteering here allowed me to experience this beautiful part of the country of Guyana and the good people who live in it.
Here in the Rupununi savanna, this Macushi village has produced intelligent, eager young people who are ready for change. At first, they did not recognize it, but with the introduction of the Caiman House things began to change. The groundwork has been laid for supplemental literacy projects.
The wind referred to above also means the change in attitude about learning in general. Villagers may have been hesitant to participate in exploring all the new technology available since they do not use electricity. Now, there are choices that were not possible until Alice Layton brought complementary education to Yupukari. She did this by placing books in the schools and creating the library, offering ideas to local teachers, as well as introducing computers. This additional learning is to stimulate thought and creativity. In spite of rote memory learning styles used often in the schools, the students have shown a willingness to try new ways to absorb ideas. The teachers are becoming more interested, as are the parents of students.
It has been an honor to be able to work with, and learn from, the Taylors and the people of Yupukari. When I heard about this project, I decided it was worthwhile investing several weeks of time and energy to promote education. Helping set up an after-school program that can be sustained in the coming years required a variety of activities, and much rehashing of ideas. This was done with the help of three young Canadian women who have been a delight to work with. Kate Dickson, Maia Lawson, and Jenn Mansell all contributed to this project with their energy, enthusiasm, and computer savvy.
Being in a remote area on a different continent naturally requires adjustments. The North American reliance on time schedules has to be shed since activities happen whenever it is convenient and possible for all involved. Insect attacks, and the agrarian hours of farming life become routine.
The attitudes of Amerindians towards education have not been college-oriented. These people need information that helps sustain their way of life. They have day to day needs. In the school classrooms there are limited, or nonexistent supplies for instruction, such as paper and pencils. Many more expectation adjustments were needed, such as children leaving to help with family farms.
By opening the Treehouse in a “classroom” type style, we were able to create an atmosphere of anticipation of new things, and this place became known as a source of knowledge acquisition. By trying different activities, the format of the daily afternoon sessions started to include a larger variety of activities. We asked the students to think about and discuss new vocabulary, and to work on a journal topic. This helped “center” them when they would first come running up the Treehouse steps. It took some coaxing to get them to write individual sentences using the weekly vocabulary words, but many creative writings were produced. The interest in looking up related topics on the Internet increased. The most popular activity is to go on email and see which friends wrote to them. They also enjoy photography. Seeing their happy faces on a digital camera screen and then on a computer brought many smiles and laughs. Having books read to them with different inflections fed their need for attention and education.
Adults have begun to feel comfortable using the Treehouse to learn typing and to look on the Internet. It is a good feeling to know that you have been part of a phenomenon that is helping to bridge gender and age gaps. Teaching a local man to send email was rewarding, knowing that he may go on to be a significant political figure in the area and that he now has a tool that can benefit him. Watching the local ladies concentrate on computer skills, despite all their daily worries and tasks, and then seeing their expressions of accomplishment and happiness, has been more than rewarding.
Learning and teaching is what makes us all more enriched people. Coming here to teach was a learning adventure. The people I met are a happy, self-sufficient combination of families. It is clear that experiences like the one I have had are all about change. Not the kind of change that demands people lose their cultural identity, but a willingness to integrate traditional life with the technology that needs to be shared, such as educational and medical technology.
What now will likely be is the continuous self-questioning of the change process here at Caiman House. Suitably located for a research center and now a hub of technology, much is to be gained from this example of teaching to be enterprising in a 21st century way, since modernization had already infiltrated this village. The questions are about which direction to go with what people are learning, and how the villagers are gaining motivation by means of unprecedented possibilities.
The Taylors should be thanked for designing this technological beacon, and their example of ambitious generosity with one group of humankind. Many thanks for the hospitality and the time to interact with villagers to gain ideas. Thank you, people of Yupukari for this time of sharing! Keep Learning!
Best of everything to all involved in this journey.
Suzanne Kromrey
Florida, USA