Pacaraima

Monday, March 5th to Thursday, March 8th

Poster fixed at school

The week was filled with the joy of the inauguration of the school, which was named “Path of Light” and will serve children up to 12 years old.  Classes will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  Good news is the arrival of a teacher who teaches Warao and will teach children basic notions of that language and Spanish. The instructor of the Roraima Labor and Social Welfare Secretariat (Setrabes), the Warao teacher and the members of Fraternidade – International Humanitarian Federation (FFHI) participated in the inauguration.

Refugees in Roraima face all types of difficulties, not only the ones connected to their survival.  Living in community is one of the biggest challenges, especially when it is about an emergency shelter, assuming, every day, proportions of a village.  A delicate question and very important issue is to know how to create and keep a harmonious coexistence.

Work Committees of the women

Balancing leisure and service, participating in decisions, engaging in the tasks, not bothering the neighborhood and caring for behavior, inside and outside the shelter, are recurring issues. Aware that dialogue is always a path of peace, the women of the shelter formed, this week, specific work commissions  to talk about such issues.

In the health field, adults and children received an extra care at the shelter Casa de Passagem, with the arrival of a physician, a female and a male nurse, all volunteers from Venezuela, Santa Elena de Uairén city.  A child suffering from severe pneumonia was sent to hospital, for hospitalization, but the mother did not accept it.  She signed a responsibility paper, as the case required immediate hospitalization.

The visibility of what happens in Roraima is growing and is strengthened by the visit of some personalities of the Brazilian government.  This week, the shelter received the visit of the current  Minister of State for Human Rights, Gustavo do Vale Rocha and his delegation.

The Warao Ball, which happened on Thursday, March 8th, was a great attraction this week.  The women artisans who participated  made their own “batolas”,  word in Warao that denominates the type of clothing used in the ball.  During the event, there was also an exhibition of handicrafts.

Under the spirit of the ball, soon began the formation of the teams to prepare the Warao Party,  planned for April. The main objective is to divulge the rich Warao culture and rescue the essential values expressed in the dance, handicraft, typical food and other manifestations of Warao people.  This rescue is fundamental, as children and young people tend to be more and more distant from the elements of the Warao culture, starting with the language.  Several indigenous children only speak Spanish, and in this process the elderly have a valuable contribution to give.