McCain Institute-funded project empowers indigenous youth to lead community action in Orealla and Siparuta

Jul 12, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – Twenty-five Indigenous youth from the Upper Corentyne River communities of Orealla and Siparuta have successfully completed the Article 13 in Practice: Youth Participation in Action programme, a civic leadership initiative implemented by the Guyana Center for Civic Engagement (GYCCE) through the generous support of the McCain Institute at Arizona State University under the John McCain Global Leaders Programme Impact Fund.

The project was led by Dr. Deodat Persaud, Director of GYCCE and a member of the 2024 John McCain Global Leaders Cohort, who secured funding through his participation in the prestigious international leadership programme.

The initiative was designed to translate the principles of Article 13 of the Constitution of Guyana into practical community action by equipping Indigenous youth with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to participate meaningfully in community leadership and local decision-making. Through interactive sessions, participants explored constitutional literacy, civic engagement, dialogue, ethical leadership, conflict resolution, volunteerism, and community action planning.

The programme commenced on 30^th May, 2026 at the Orealla ICT Hub, bringing together young people from Orealla and Siparuta to strengthen their understanding of participatory democracy and their role in shaping the future of their communities.

One of the programme’s defining features was its emphasis on community-driven solutions. Rather than assigning participants a project, facilitators encouraged them to identify the issue they believed most urgently affected their villages. Through dialogue and consensus-building, participants selected drug and substance abuse as the most pressing challenge facing their communities.

Following the training, participants immediately began implementing their community action project. Volunteer teams visited Orealla Primary School and Siparuta Primary School, where they conducted educational sessions encouraging younger students to make positive life choices, avoid drug use, and become active and responsible citizens. Participants also mounted educational flyers throughout both villages to reinforce the campaign’s messages and promote greater community awareness.

The programme formally concluded on 7^th July, 2026 with a graduation ceremony held at the Orealla ICT Hub, where all 25 participants successfully completed the programme and received certificates of achievement.

The graduation also marked the culmination of the participants’ community action initiative with the unveiling of two large public awareness billboards—one in Orealla and one in Siparuta. Designed with direct input from the participants, the billboards promote drug prevention, responsible citizenship, and active community participation, leaving a lasting reminder of the communities’ commitment to creating safer and healthier environments for young people.

During the closing oral evaluation, participants reflected on the knowledge and skills gained throughout the programme and collectively pledged to become more actively involved in village governance by attending community meetings, supporting the work of their Village Councils, encouraging greater youth participation in community decision-making, and promoting a zero-tolerance approach to drug use.

The programme demonstrated how targeted investments in grassroots civic education can empower young people to identify community challenges, develop practical solutions, and work collaboratively to improve their communities. Through the support of the McCain Institute at Arizona State University, participants moved beyond learning about democracy to putting democratic principles into practice.

Reflecting on the success of the initiative, Dr. Deodat Persaud said: “Article 13 reminds us that democracy is strongest when citizens actively participate in shaping the decisions that affect their lives. What impressed me most was that these young people did not wait for someone else to solve a problem. They identified the challenge themselves, developed a solution, and implemented it. That is leadership in action, and it reflects the values championed by the McCain Institute and the John McCain Global Leaders Programme.”

The programme was facilitated by Dr. Deodat Persaud, Narima Alli, and Marcel Chester, while Jonathan Persaud volunteered during the graduation ceremony and assisted with the successful completion of the community action project.

GYCCE expresses its sincere appreciation to Village Captain Mr. Laurence Vandenburgh, the Village Councils of Orealla and Siparuta, the leadership of Orealla Primary School and Siparuta Primary School, and the young participants whose enthusiasm and commitment made the initiative a success.

The organisation also extends its gratitude to the McCain Institute at Arizona State University and the John McCain Global Leaders Programme for investing in grassroots leadership initiatives that strengthen democracy, civic engagement, and youth participation around the world. The support provided through the John McCain Global Leaders Programme Impact Fund enabled Indigenous youth in Guyana to transform constitutional principles into meaningful community action with lasting impact.

Building on the success of Article 13 in Practice: Youth Participation in Action, GYCCE intends to expand similar civic leadership initiatives to other Indigenous and rural communities across Guyana while continuing to promote constitutional literacy, dialogue, volunteerism, and inclusive democratic participation.

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