Our Partners

Government of Guyana – The Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education (MOE) is dedicated to ensuring all citizens of Guyana, regardless of age, race, gender, creed, physical or mental disability, or socio-economic status are given the best possible opportunity to achieve their full potential. This is being achieved through equal access to quality education as defined by the standards and norms outlined by the Ministry. The commitment to quality and equity in education with no barriers in access to anyone is clear in this declaration.

The Ministry defines education as more than the instrumental activity for supporting greater national development or reducing poverty; even though it can contribute significantly to both of these objectives. It has intrinsic value. It is the main way to help each human being achieve his/her highest potential. It should be able to give the nation’s citizens the necessary knowledge, skills and values to lead happy and productive lives. On the basis of the education they receive, they should love their country and respect the diversity of its ethnic, religious and cultural traditions. They should adhere to the ideals and practice of democracy, justice, peace, diversity and accountability. View Ministry of Education website.

Lesley University

Lesley University has joined MCF to support the government of Guyana in addressing the issue of violence against women and children in Guyana by integrating the arts into teacher preparation, counselor training, and community outreach programs. Lesley University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts is among the largest providers of teacher education in the U.S., offering among others, innovative interdisciplinary programs in counseling, psychology, and expressive therapies—a field initiated at Lesley. For over 100 years Lesley has prepared its graduates for service and leadership in the fields of education, human services, and the arts. Today Lesley offers programs across the United States (www.lesley.edu) and abroad. With support from MCF, the government of Guyana and other NGOs, Lesley faculty has contributed practical and academic expertise and leadership to areas of need in Guyana. Lesley University develops sustainable, scalable, replicable models of programming for social change worldwide. View Lesley University website.

Help & Shelter

Help & Shelter is Guyana’s most prestigious NGO whose efforts on behalf of women & children have reached into all 10 administrative Regions of that country. Help & Shelter provides a safe haven for women and children escaping violence at home. This wonderful organization operates on the highest level of internationally accepted standards for sheltering victims of violence, fostering awareness, providing community outreach and counseling and conducting research to name some but not all of the important work that is undertaken on a daily basis by this vital organization. MCF is thrilled to join Help & Shelter to end violence against women and children in all of its forms. MCF will support training programs for Help & Shelter’s social service providers and counselors, which may include Certificate Training Programs and Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in counseling and expressive therapies which will help to further professionalize social services in Guyana. This training will initially be targeted at counselors and social service providers working with women & children and would include expressive art therapy approaches in which counselors engage clients in the healing process through the therapeutic use of the arts. Lesley University staff in a “train the trainer” model written to be culturally specific to Guyana will deliver programming and training. View Help and Shelter website.