The Fraternity – International Humanitarian Federation (FIHF), through the Indigenous Cultural and Training Center (CCFI), continues to join efforts with other humanitarian agencies in the training of Venezuelan and Brazilian indigenous migrants and refugees in the region.
Full of participation, reflection and joy, the first phase of the Continuing Education Program for Development (PFCD) provided participants with the opportunity for individual and collective self-knowledge using games with directed dynamics.
The humanitarian member and CCFI coordinator, Imer, explains that “this is the third year that the Cultural Center opens its doors, continuing its project through the PFCD, a program that offers possibilities to the indigenous peoples who are residing here, both inside and outside the shelters, or in local indigenous communities, as in some cases, so that they can access different training opportunities, either through courses with a technical profile or with a professional output.”
The Continuing Education Program consists of three phases. In the first, the vocational and motivational aspect is addressed so that, in this new context, participants can choose to strengthen their life history with new knowledge.
The Fraternity – Humanitarian Federation (FIHF) carried out some updates this year, in the 2023 program, to offer basic training in a fundamental aspect — the Portuguese language — and also in digital inclusion through technology, IT and some technical courses, to later develop an advanced training that provides tools that prepare for the job market. The latter is aimed at those who aspire to have access to this possibility, as well as those who intend to undertake or obtain advice and training to form collectives, be it an association or cooperatives.
This year there was a dissemination stage first, both in person and digitally, then the registration and enrollment phase. At this moment there are approximately 90 registered and 170 interested people, as the possibility is also offered to people who are interested in simply taking a course with a professional output or some other type of course to strengthen what they already know. Courses will be taught both at CCFI and at partner institutions that offer technical courses.
“It is worth noting that this year we were able to get participation mainly from young people who are trying to build their future in this new country, which makes us very happy and motivates us to continue working to respond to this need,” adds Imer.
Regarding the methodology used in the training, the humanitarian member Michael explained that two modules were worked on: “we try to help them find their purpose, their reason for being, to search a little more within themselves, to know what it is that they are passionate about, what they retrieve from within their memories in order to be able to transfer it to the collective. And, in the second module, we worked precisely on how to integrate this part of the individual into the collective, looking to work as a team, how to be part of a community, in this case the sister community that welcomed them.”
Experience reports from indigenous participants
Evelyn, a native of the Taurepang ethnic group, expressed that “these courses that are being given are motivating us and I also want to motivate other people, to be able to instill in them that we have to go forward, because we know that it is very difficult, but not impossible.”
Juan de la Cruz, from the Warao ethnic group, 34 years old, says that during the course two videos were shown that motivated him a lot: “One person gave the message that everything is possible, that everything can be achieved with effort. And also that we should help ourselves.” He concluded by exclaiming: “Where there is unity, there is strength.”
