Thirty-seven children drawn from several primary schools across Linden returned to their classes with renewed enthusiasm to work following a five-week summer programme run by the Linden Fund USA (LFU) in collaboration with Linden Care Foundation (LCF).
The programme was designed to help grade five primary school students who were considered low achievers or slow learners to develop and increase their ability to perform at their grade level. Emphasis was placed on improving skills in the areas of math, reading and comprehension.
Through the collaboration with LCF, the students were also exposed to computer skills and art and crafts. According to LFU Office Manager Leticia Chichester, the five weeks of innovative learning was well accepted by the children. “What we found was that most of those kids are lost in the school system and do not get the individual attention they require. In most instances what we did was to take the same work they do at school and design fun and innovative ways of teaching them,” Chichester said.
Chichester noted that most of the children lacked individual attention and they were from dysfunctional and single parent families and households headed by grandparents. The two organisations have been collaborating to reach specific needs of those children.
The LFU is dedicated to improving lives and living conditions of the people of Linden through education, health, job creation and economic development initiatives, with education being its priority. LFU Secretary Linda Felix-Johnson said that the fund has been involved in several education initiatives to date, including an annual two-day educational teachers’ workshop that imparted modern teaching techniques to approximately 70 teachers and administrators.
“Our sponsorship of eight needy students at the University of Guyana, plus several scholarships at secondary schools in Linden shows our commitment to education,” Felix-Johnson said. “These students were required to assist in the conduct of the Summer Tutorial Programme while on their summer break. We also facilitated a job training programme, which resulted in the building of over 400 pieces of furniture for schools, and we are now trying to acquire land to build a furniture and wood products factory for job creation and manufacturing wood products for export and local markets.”
In addition, LFU sponsors the Adopt-A-Child programme, which is executed by the LCF and provides nutrition, health care, social skills and educational development for children from poor households.
The group of students was awarded certificates at the conclusion of the programme. The children were able to display their creative works for their parents. Most of the students will continue to benefit from programmes conducted by LCF, including child care counselling.
