Scores of delegates both local and foreign, after wrapping up discussions at the People’s Forum, were taken on various educational tours called Learning Journeys.
They were given a chance to experience first hand, the impact various NGOs were making on communities. South African, Stephen Blunden and the UK’s Myrtle Friester praised the initiative saying it gave them a chance to see the beauty of this tropical paradise.

Some civil society delegates boarded buses heading to Toco, others were taken to Arima to learn more about our indigenous heritage, while a number of delegates opted to go to Tobago.

There was also a tour which took delegates to the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD).  While there, they interacted with disabled children who are learning skills such as food preparation, garment construction, beauty culture, welding and metal work. These skills will ensure that they are able to find employment as adults.


NCPD Coordinator Kiesha Farrum spoke with the delegates about this initiative, explaining “the skills training programme is designed to ensure disabled children who attend this centre become productive members of society”.
Ms. Farrum says efforts are also being made to provide job placement for individuals. One disabled 14 year-old student Cassie Constantine, who is currently learning garment construction, told those on the learning journey about her experiences at the school saying “I am confident I will achieve my goal of becoming a fashion designer”.
The delegates were then taken to the Indian Museum in Chaguanas. There they were given a tour of the facility by curator Saisbhan Jokhan.

On the final leg of this journey civil society groups were driven to a Trinidad and Tobago Agriculture Business Association (TTABA) farm where they spoke with officials from the organisation.

Farmer Dipnarine Ramsarup gave an insight into how TTABA helped him to make the transition from growing sugar cane to cassava, paw paw and other vegetables.  

The visitors also got a chance to see the processing plant connected to the farm and were given samples of products made from Dipnarine’s produce.  

Pakistani, Faiz Mohammed Fazaz and British, Dr. Ganesh Supramaniam believe the learning journeys gave them further knowledge about the country’s cultural diversity.  Both intend to come back to Trinidad and Tobago with their respective families for a vacation.