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| GUYANA |
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Guyana means "Land of Many Waters" in Carib, one of the region’s many living Amerindian languages, and refers to the complex network of pristine rivers that snake throughout the country. There are also many steep escarpments and waterfalls, including the famous Kaieteur Falls, which is the world’s tallest single drop waterfall at 741 feet!
Despite its legendary beauty and the romantic allure of its undisturbed hinterlands, Guyana remains one of the poorest countries in the Commonwealth Caribbean. Community capacity in Guyana suffers from a serious lack of skilled human resources, made worse by chronic emigration. Community leaders are often unable to respond effectively to locally identified needs, due to a lack of resources and support. Yet experience has shown that small international volunteer teams mobilized by YCI can have sustainable impacts on community capacity and strength.
YCI is proud to offer five and eight week group programs in Guyana, South America. They provide extraordinary opportunities for you to acquire solid skills from exciting and dynamic projects.
Working in teams of six to 12 volunteers with the support of YCI staff, participants will work for five or eight weeks to improve the social and economic welfare of communities. Focuses will include health education, youth skills and leadership development, and literacy training.
Past Project Activities:
HIV/AIDS: A mobile project group travelled through Central Rupununi to six different communities: Nappie, Parashara, Hiawa, Yupukari, Kaicumbi and Quatatta. In each community the YCI undertook activities in HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy and conducted literacy sessions on topics identified by the communities. They also assisted the existing women’s group with the marketing of traditional crafts to be presented at heritage celebrations.
Life Skills Summits: A project group organized a Life Skills Summit in partnership with local youth groups and peer mentors in and around Mahdia. Volunteers organized and facilitated workshops, mobilized resources, and assisted with logitistic and administrative tasks. In total, the Summit brought together 75 participants from five area villages.
For information on project dates, please refer to the Program Calendar.
| HDI: |
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103/177 |
| Population: |
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0.752 million |
| Life Expectancy: |
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63.6 years |
| Infant mortality: |
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63/1,000 births |
| Adult Literacy Rate: |
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96.5% |
| HIV prevalence:
(ages 15-49) |
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2.5% |
Population living below
the national
poverty line: |
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43% |
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Program Overview
