The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), in collaboration with the Upper Mazaruni District Council (UMDC), the North Pakaraimas District Council (NPDC), and the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC), held a one-week intensive training for Data Managers.
Understanding the importance of data collection and management, the APA, with support from its partners Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS), Forest Peoples Programme (FPP), Nia Tero, and DANIDA, held the training in Aishalton, South Rupununi. In addition to the Data Managers, Toshaos, and Vice Toshaos from Regions 1, 7, 8, and 9 also participated in the workshop.
The activity aimed to improve the capacity of Data Managers and District Council leaders to advance effective governance and advocacy goals. Participants were exposed to refreshers and new material on basic and advanced desktop GIS, data collection methods, data organisation, interpretation, and presentation. Among the tools used were QGIS, KoboToolbox, Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
Later, participants were guided through technical report writing styles to both safeguard and simplify their data for future use and advocacy. They also explored how monitoring data and public policy can advance their advocacy goals and highlight community issues.
Chair of the Moruca District Council and Toshao of Warapoka, Jaremy Boyal, who took part in this week’s training, relayed that the session was indeed a great initiative.
“Attending for the first time, I realise that this is a very important tool for advocacy. You can tell so many stories from gathering data and documenting changes over time, whether it has to do with health or land rights, or population growth, etc,” he explained.
Similarly, Ms Susan George, from Katoka Village, Region 9, and Data Manager with the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), noted that this training greatly increased her capacity.
“While I learned some things previously, others were new, and though challenging, I feel empowered to perform even better at my job and for my District,” she said.
Co-founder of the Wapichan Wiizi Women’s Movement, the women’s arm of the SRDC, Ms Immaculata Casimero, who spent some time with the team, noted her support for this type of training continuing in communities.
“As an Indigenous person or if you live in an Indigenous community, it is important to know your land. Where it extends, the rivers, the mountains, the creeks, and the names, too, in your local language. You need to know that.
Importantly, looking at our land now, especially given ‘extractivism’ and what is happening, we need to be aware of what is happening. We are not only thinking about today when we talk about mapping and advocacy work, but we also have to think about the future,” Ms Casimero said.
Much of this type of training will contribute to ongoing monitoring exercises, such as water testing, mercury testing, and drone and community mapping. Meanwhile, for advocacy, this type of evidence gathering provides verifiable data to support cases and establish credibility.
The training sessions were facilitated by partners from the FPP, RFUS, UMDC, SRDC, NPDC and led by the APA.