What We're Learning from Guyana's Leading Organisations Supporting cuban Migrants
- Renée Theresa Rodney
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
When you begin a project like Help Cubans in Guyana, one of the most important things you can do is listen.
Listen to the people already doing the work.
Listen to the communities you're hoping to serve.
And most importantly, listen to the people whose lived experiences can teach you far more than any textbook ever could.
Recently, I watched a fascinating panel discussion hosted by the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), featuring Jermaine Grant (PADF Guyana), Keene Chase (Catholic Charities Guyana Migrant Support) and Sharon James (Least of These Foundation).
The discussion focused on humanitarian assistance for migrants and their host communities in Guyana.
Rather than summarising the conversation, I wanted to share a few of the lessons that stood out to me and explain how they are already shaping the vision behind Help Cubans in Guyana.
If you have an interest in migration, education or community development, I would highly recommend watching the full discussion, which I've embedded below.
Humanitarian support is about much more than emergency aid
When many of us think about humanitarian assistance, we naturally think about food, clothing or temporary accommodation.
Those things are incredibly important.
But what became clear throughout the discussion is that humanitarian support doesn't end there.
Jermaine Grant described the goal as helping people move "from vulnerability to self-sustainability."
That phrase stayed with me.
Because ultimately, that is what Help Cubans in Guyana hopes to contribute towards.
We're not simply teaching English.
We're helping people build the confidence to navigate daily life, access opportunities and gradually become more independent within their new communities.
Language is more than communication
One of the strongest themes throughout the discussion was the importance of language.
Keene Chase explained that while migrants may initially need food or shelter, "in the long term they may need English classes... to help them to settle in and to adapt to the new country where they have migrated to."
As someone who teaches languages professionally, I couldn't agree more.
Language influences almost every part of life.
It affects whether someone can attend a job interview with confidence.
Whether they can explain their symptoms to a doctor.
Whether they understand information from their child's school.
Whether they can make friends with neighbours.
Whether they feel that they belong.
That's why the English programme we're developing isn't based around memorising grammar rules.
Instead, we'll focus on the situations migrants are most likely to encounter every day.
Conversations with employers.
Visiting the doctor.
Shopping.
Using public transport.
Introducing yourself.
Speaking with teachers.
Asking for help.
Because language becomes most powerful when it helps people live their everyday lives.
Every migrant's journey is different
Another important lesson from the discussion was that no two migrants have exactly the same needs.
The panel repeatedly spoke about taking a case-by-case approach.
Some families might need help understanding how to enrol their children in school.
Others may already have employment but struggle with housing.
Some may simply need someone to explain how different services work in Guyana.
That reminded me that no programme should assume it already knows every answer.
As Help Cubans in Guyana grows, listening will always remain one of our most important priorities.
We'll continue adapting the programme based on the experiences, challenges and feedback of the people taking part.
Supporting children means supporting families
One section of the discussion particularly resonated with me.
The panel spoke about migrant families as a whole rather than treating parents and
children separately.
That aligns closely with the direction we're taking.
Imagine arriving in a new country as a child.
Everything is unfamiliar.
A new school.
New classmates.
A different education system.
A language you don't yet understand.
Now imagine trying to do all of that while your parents are also learning how to
navigate employment, healthcare, transport and housing.
Supporting children means supporting the adults around them too.
Our hope is to offer English support not only for adults but also for children, giving families another opportunity to build confidence together outside the classroom.
Communities thrive when everyone is included
One of the most thought-provoking parts of the discussion focused on host communities.
The panel made the important point that humanitarian support shouldn't create division.
As Jermaine Grant explained, assistance should be delivered in a way that supports both migrants and host communities, encouraging integration rather than conflict.
That perspective is incredibly valuable.
Help Cubans in Guyana exists to support Cuban migrants, but we also want the project to create positive outcomes for Guyana itself.
When migrants can communicate confidently, they're better able to work, contribute to local businesses, support their families and become active members of their communities.
Language doesn't just benefit the individual.
It strengthens relationships.
It builds understanding.
It creates opportunities for collaboration.
Partnership matters
Something else that stood out throughout the discussion was the spirit of collaboration.
No single organisation can meet every need.
Instead, the organisations represented on the panel spoke about working together, sharing knowledge and connecting people with the right services.
That is exactly the approach we hope to take.
Help Cubans in Guyana isn't trying to replace the incredible work already being done across Guyana.
Quite the opposite.
We want to learn from it.
We want to collaborate with it.
And where possible, we want to complement it by providing practical English language education that supports the wider work of organisations already serving migrant communities.
Continuing to learn
One of the biggest lessons I took away from the PADF discussion is that good intentions aren't enough.
Effective support requires listening.
Learning.
Collaborating.
And continually adapting as communities and their needs change.
I'm incredibly grateful to the Pan American Development Foundation, Jermaine Grant, Keene Chase and Sharon James for sharing their knowledge and experience through this discussion.
The conversation reinforced something I've believed since the beginning of this project:
People don't simply need assistance to survive today.
They need opportunities to build tomorrow.
For many migrants, learning English is one of those opportunities.
It won't solve every challenge.
But it can open doors to employment, education, healthcare, confidence and community.
As Help Cubans in Guyana continues to grow, we'll keep learning from the organisations already making a difference, and we'll continue doing everything we can to ensure our work is thoughtful, collaborative and centred on the real needs of the people we hope to serve.
If you haven't already, I encourage you to watch the panel discussion above. It offers valuable insight into the realities of migration in Guyana and the remarkable work being carried out every day by organisations supporting migrant families and the communities that welcome them.
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