Georgetown: A team from the Iwokrama International Centre this week held an interactive session with members of the Guyana Society for the Blind and other disability groups as part of a goal to ensure that the model of sustainable use of the rainforest is understood by all Guyanese.
The engagement, held recently at the Guyana Society for the Blind on High Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, was historic in that it was the first such event with the blind, disability community in Guyana.
Using tactile and auditory methods, the Iwokrama team – led by tropical forest ecologist Dr Raquel Thomas – helped participants understand the vision of the Iwokrama Centre and allowed them to know some of the animals and trees found in the Iwokrama Forest.
Said Dr Thomas: “We would like to spread awareness about Iwokrama, and by extension other environmental issues affecting Guyana, to people from all walks of life. “I hope I live to see the day when people with disabilities, especially children, can integrate with other persons in learning about the environment in and out of school.”
She added: “If there is some level of integration of learning, it teaches children, and even adults, compassion and an understanding that diversity is an important element in any normal society and all should be respected, no matter who they are.”
Ganesh Singh, Public Relations Officer and Programme Coordinator for the Guyana Council of Organisations for People with Disabilities, which organised the workshop, praised Iwokrama for being willing to reach out almost immediately once the need was realised.
“During a leadership capacity building workshop we had, it dawned on us that persons with disabilities have little or no knowledge of conservation and what is happening with our environment and many times they are neglected when it comes to those areas,” said Singh. “That was Wednesday, and Thursday Raquel and her team were here.”
Mr Singh, who is blind, also serves as a Board Member and Coordinator of the CXC Programme with the Guyana Society for the Blind.
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