The partnership between the Fraternity – International Humanitarian Missions (FIHM) and the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFIL), which began in August 2023 and ends in February 2024, aimed to expand the activities that have already been developed at the Indigenous Cultural and Training Centre (CCFI) in Boa Vista, Roraima.
The project offered various training courses for indigenous migrants, refugees and residents of shelters in the city of Boa Vista – RR and in the Ta’rau Paru Community, in Pacaraima-RR, and its central objective was to mitigate vulnerability, promote social inclusion and build livelihood opportunities, with special attention to gender equity.
The coordinator of the Roraima Humanitarian Mission, Sister Maria Raquel, explains that “the project was developed to contribute to welcoming indigenous migrants as subjects of rights and not just as victims, as well as supporting the preservation and intercultural strengthening and socio-economic inclusion of the ethnic groups served by the CCFI.”
In this sense, the project covered approximately 90 women in technical courses, as well as support for indigenous enterprises, with the participation of 12 women multipliers, and could reach a further 150 migrant indigenous women and men.
The project proposal also included resources for monitoring and evaluating the activities, holding discussion circles, evaluating goals and impacts, producing reports and visiting the Ta’rau Paru indigenous community.
Mónica William, from the Ta’rau Paru indigenous community, expresses her gratitude for the opportunity to take part in the Cutting, Sewing and Modeling Course and her desire to continue learning, to seek advanced courses and to become a professional in the field of fashion and sewing. In addition, she emphasizes the purpose of not only absorbing knowledge, but also of “teaching other young people and women, with the aim of forming a business and preserving culture by working in a sewing studio.”
Visit by the Canadian Ambassador
Canada’s ambassador, Emmanuel Kamarianakis, visited the CCFI, symbolizing the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives’ commitment and support for the training and entrepreneurship project aimed at the indigenous Venezuelan, Guyanese and Brazilian migrants served at the space. The partnership established aims to strengthen these communities, offering concrete opportunities for social and economic inclusion.
During the visit, the ambassador learned a little more about the progress of the project, and was introduced to members of the Association of Indigenous Migrants of Roraima (AMIR) and the fashion brand incubated at CCFI, Tida Warao, both of which are made up of indigenous Venezuelan migrants and benefiting from the partnership between the Fraternity – Humanitarian Missions (FIHM) and the Canada Fund.
He also witnessed the CCFI team hand over two screen printing tables to AMIR.
Activities developed through the partnership
The partnership with the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (FCIL) has resulted in programs that go beyond simple learning, addressing essential issues for personal and professional development, incorporating guidance on professional behavior, Brazilian culture and skills to face everyday challenges.
Ane Viriato, teacher of the Cutting and Sewing Course, highlights the joyful atmosphere of the classes, where the exchange of knowledge goes beyond technical teaching and is influenced by the cultural richness of the students. “The creativity of each student is influenced by their ancestry and enriches learning even more. The experience is rewarding, and I thank the students for sharing; I wish them success and that they can replicate the knowledge they have acquired.”
This holistic approach stands out in the Continuing Education for Development Program (PFCD), which mobilizes human skills and technical tools relevant to life and productive insertion into the world of work, so that the individual can achieve autonomy, assuming responsibility and protagonism in personal and collective life. In partnership with FCIL, the program included the following training courses:
Kitchen assistant
The kitchen assistant course, for example, was not limited to food preparation, but addressed aspects such as proper uniforms, personal hygiene and organization of the environment. The participants, most of whom are indigenous migrants from the Warao ethnic group, gained valuable knowledge about good food handling practices. This course, in addition to the bakery course, provides comprehensive training in the area of gastronomy, enriching the curricula of the graduates.
Baking
The success of this initiative, which lasted 40 hours, provided training through the Macunaíma Educational Center and culminated in the training of 12 indigenous people, preparing them to enter the job market and achieve self-realization.
According to the CCFI team, the training was a real success “due to all the planning and monitoring by the team, the attention to good practices in food preparation provided and taught by the facilitator and the interest and dedication shown by the participants.”
Merchandise Replenisher
Lasting 40 hours, the course trained 18 indigenous people from the Warao, Kariña, Taurepang, Kamarakoto and Sanumá ethnic groups, who, through playful experiences, theory and practice, learned about the duties of this profession which is on the rise in Roraima and Brazil, with supermarkets, hypermarkets and stores being the establishments with the most job vacancies.
Production Units and Sewing Workshop
The Ta’rau Paru indigenous community, made up of Brazilian and Venezuelan Taurepang people, presented seven development projects, called Productive Units. Five of these projects have had the collaboration of the Fraternity – Humanitarian Missions (FIHM) since 2022, involving initiatives such as barbering, fish farming, sewing, screen printing, handicrafts and agroecology.
FCIL’s support enabled the donation of semi-industrial sewing machines, fabrics, screen printing tables and other equipment that will be used to set up a sewing studio, boosting these enterprises and promoting local development through the empowerment of indigenous women.
Teams from the Indigenous Cultural and Training Centre (CCFI) and the Association of Indigenous Migrants of Roraima (AMIR), visited the Taurepang indigenous community of Ta’rau Paru, and were received with a celebration by the indigenous people who live there.
One of the goals of this project is to set up a sewing workshop involving a group of women, as well as a clothing production point with silk-screen paintings aimed at young residents of the community.
Cutting, sewing and modeling
The course was a turning point in the lives of 12 indigenous Venezuelan migrants from the Taurepang, Warao and Wayúu ethnic groups. Supporting this training are the indigenous women of the Tida Warao brand, as well as the sewing workshop of the Ta’rau Paru indigenous community.
The participating women, each with their own desires, expectations and life plans, were able to use all the knowledge and dedication of the teacher from the Macunaíma Educational Center to achieve success.
Lasting 40 hours, the training involved theory, learning hand stitches, modeling skills and practice with a domestic machine, leading the apprentices to make small garments, home accessories and mini-clothing.
The end of the course was a parade of dolls dressed with knowledge, creativity, feelings and a farewell.
Screen printing
Once again, indigenous Venezuelan migrants from the Taurepang, Warao, Wayúu and Brazilian Macuxi and Wapixana ethnic groups expressed their ancestral creativity through the technical knowledge acquired during the screen printing course.
Young people from the Ta’rau Paru Indigenous Community, in Pacaraima, Roraima, were among the participants in the 32-hour course, which included concepts, processes, products, market tips and the practice of making the mold, using the screen printing table, applying the paint with squeegees and touching up the paint.
The course instructor was an indigenous Venezuelan migrant volunteer with extensive experience, both in the trade and as an instructor.
IT
The Kariña, Taurepang and Warao graduates of the intermediate level computer course take with them more than just technological knowledge; they also incorporate guidance to help them overcome the challenges that life throws at them.
The knowledge they received ranges from basic concepts to more complex ones, such as data manipulation systems, research using cyberspace search engines, the use of design tools and graphic presentation apps.
The process of humanly accompanying the apprentices, as well as the evolution of their learning, is the main distinguishing feature of the Continuous Training for Development Program (PFCD), which focuses on training indigenous migrants for social and economic inclusion in the national context. The IT courses are part of the program’s Technology module.
Portuguese
The intermediate level Portuguese course lasted 60 hours, with 20 participants, and helped to deepen the knowledge gained in the basic level Portuguese courses held during the year, in which representatives of the Taurepang, Warao, Akawaio and Wayúu peoples took part.
Learning the language of the host country helps to forge links with the local community and guarantees a better and more lasting economic integration in the place where they wish to stay. Faced with language difficulties, teaching Portuguese to migrants is a way of welcoming them and, at the same time, an important step towards achieving human rights.
The final project was a tribute to the union of peoples and cultures through the interpretation of a well-known song from the Brazilian pop scene, sung in Portuguese by the participants themselves.
Intercultural Fair
The Christmas edition of the Intercultural Indigenous Fair, held on December 23, 2023, was also supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (FCIL) and featured buriti, considered the tree of life in indigenous culture. It was attended by more than 50 indigenous exhibitors from 12 different ethnic groups, mostly Venezuelan and Guyanese migrants, but also local Brazilians, presenting their handicraft products.
According to its organizers, “it was a joyful and spontaneous event, marked by the purity and gentleness of the indigenous children singers and by the adherence of the visiting public, who joined in with the indigenous ancestral dances and practices.”
