R I C H M O N D V A L E A C A D E M Y

Newsletter June 2015 " 1

Only together we can change the world.

Numerous Climate summits and political events are held continuously, but also today we can see very little change happening on higher levels. Political systems are still the same, mega-corporations keep dominating society. And we know that the oil and gas companies are among the most powerful in the world, so we honestly cannot expect much to happen on political level.

Climate Change is real, even though the denial machine might have confused you. But we know better. Major changes in the way we generate energy and grow food need to happen to turn this around. But unfortunately, just as the Energy sector, the Agricultural sector is dominated by mega corporations with a lot of political influence. Companies such as Monsanto, Dow Chemicals, Dupont and others are more than ever trying to control the markets and the food production methods.

Under the false pretense of being more efficient, those companies are trying to force GMOs and chemical fertilizers into our systems and consequently our bodies. All this despite clear evidence that our health is deteriorating, with most obviously, a raise in diabetes and allergy rates.

In St. Vincent there are attempts to bring GMOs into the agricultural system. But they didn’t count on the people here!! We won’t let this happen!!

Since a few months one of the main campaigns of Richmond Vale Academy has been to prevent GMOs and LMOs from entering our country. Together with a network of good friends and comrade activists, we have been spreading awareness in St. Vincent; on the radio, in the newspapers, in presentations all around the island and by producing 2 newspapers we have tried to bring the message to the public. The highlight was the March against Monsanto on Friday 22nd of May! A group of activists of St. Vincent gathered in Kingstown and brought this worldwide event for the first time to St. Vincent. A lot of attention was caught and the GMO topic is on everyone’s lips right now!!

But we cannot wait for big companies to change, or for politicians to create a better world. We, the people, have to bring the change we are looking for! The power is in our hands!

By establishing and supporting organic model gardens around the island we are creating an example of positive change, demonstrating that organic agriculture can definitely be more productive, more healthy and safer for the environment. By implementing the design principles and ideas of the Permaculture movement, we can create systems that are sustainable, enriching the biodiversity and creating abundance of everything! We can work with and for nature, instead of all against it.

Here at the Academy, we are trying to get to live 100% organic and are designing and implementing systems that are fully sustainable; harvesting our own water, going towards carbon neutral energy and no-chemical farming and growing all of our own food, or finding it locally.

Building local sustainability is our aim, for RVA but also for St. Vincent. And the same counts for the work we carry out in Belize, where we work together with Humana People to People Belize, in the Child Aid project.

For the last 2 years 4 duos and/or trios have traveled down to Belize to serve for 6 months the needs of the Poor in rural communities of Toledo - the Southern part of Belize.

Small steps to improve and assist the livelihoods of the Poor are being made, but a scream for more assistance and support is loud and we are looking for many more activists to join hands with us, join one of our programs and contribute what they can to our big goals.

Only we the people, shoulder to shoulder with all mankind, can bring the sustainable and equal development that so many people are looking for.

We definitely would love your help!!

Richmond Vale Academy Dream. Decide. Develop. Do.

Visit our new Website!!talkgreen.org

R I C H M O N D V A L E A C A D E M Y

" Newsletter June 20152

Marching against Monsanto!!

On Friday May 22nd, there was an event against GMO in the capital city of St Vincent - Kingstown. It was one day before the international March Against Monsanto was scheduled. The decision to have the event early - on the UN International Day for Biological Diversity - was directed by logistics. The

organizers: Alliance-Française  St-Vincent, Chatoyer Gardens and RVA knew from experience that Friday is a day when most people come to Kingstown from all over the island and the businesses are open, giving us more public to educate. The organizers were largely supported by the Resistance Heart Beat drummers and Rastafari Movement, as well as local farmers and activists.

While the event wasn't a typical march, it was a huge success for a first edition. Approximately 20 people left from the Alliance-Française quarters with 3,000 copies of the latest RVA News - a free newspaper which includes articles from international students, teachers and Vincentians alike. Divided into small groups we walked the streets of Kingstown offering newspapers to everyone. While 3,000 sounds like a lot, we ran out of the papers within 2 hours.

Finally, we met at the Courthouse where, supported by drummers, we proceeded to display posters and slogans and call attention to our cause yelling: "Monstanto has to go! Say <No!> to GMO!" and the likes. People on both sides of the street would stop and wonder what exactly was going on, and our activists would explain to them about GMO food, seeds, diseases, chemicals and supporting local farmers. Many of them were supprised to be hearing about those issues for the first time, others would recall hearing "something" on the radio, while very few had substantial knowledge about the issue.

Almost everyone seemed happy to have learned something new and the protesters were happy to explain. It was a joyful and productive action and we can't wait to repeat it next year! Or maybe we won’t have to?

“A Better Tomorrow”

Following up on my achievements after my successful climate compliance course that I did right here at the RVA, which I would say is one of the top 5 institutions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. For all my readers and interested persons out there, who is interested in the 3 L’s. Long life, living sustainable and willing to Learn; RVA is the place to be.

After my course I was the headline of a brochure with a special cause, it read how to create a sustainable future for St. Vincent and the Grenadines and also sent a message to invite people into the Climate Compliance course. Since the completion of my course, many doors

have opened for me. Opportunities keep coming, but I found myself, and I know who I am and my purpose in life. Which is to make this world a better place to live in, in terms of creating a sustainable way of living and promote eating healthy.

I am actually working with the institution right now in the organic garden, (mind you I just said organic) absolutely no chemicals! No GMO! That is why we are strong. Absolutely no GMO! I am involved in beach cleanups, community cleanups, GMO demonstrations and I’m loving every moment of it. It’s an awesome feeling with this fight I’m winning so get involved and fight for a cause. RVA horray horray, Nice to know you’re here to stay.

Harlyn ‘Fayah’ Williams

The St. Vincent Climate Compliance Conference 2012-2021

R I C H M O N D V A L E A C A D E M Y

Newsletter June 2015 " 3

Earth Day 2015

Every year since 1970 (yes for 45 years already!) on the 22nd of April, a very special event takes place worldwide: the Earth Day, the one global day of the year dedicated to supporting environmental protection and celebrating the miracles of nature.

Also us at Richmond Vale Academy have already deeply rooted a tradition to celebrate this unique day, with a big Open Day event, where we invite everyone to join us in celebration and learning.

This year, the students from the November Climate team, hand in hand with everyone else at the school, organized an incredible day at the end

of April, also celebrating the ending of their 6-month program.

Every year we prepare for a full house and always it’s a little bit waiting and wondering for how many people will actually show up … and this year the turnout was simply astonishing! More than 300 people came to visit the Academy!

The RVA students had prepared an exhibition of posters on a variety of climate-related topics. An exhibition of the work of our students in Belize was set-up and videos and lectures on Climate Change were available for everyone to join. Games and drumming sessions were organized for the many children joining in.

OECS (Organization of Eastern Caribbean States) came with an exhibition on Climate Change adaptation, as a part of their campaign to communicate climate change. Hundreds of people got access to new information on the topic.

Local entrepreneurs came to display their local and organic products; a wide variety of products were available for everyone to get to know. Local drumming groups were not only entertaining the audience but also teaching how to make drums. Local organic products such as soap, honey, coconut oil and herbs were available for testing. The local coffee producer was there, local artists were

d i s p l a y i n g p a i n t e d calabashes, shoemakers came to show their local products and the moringa powder stand was frequently visited.

A wonderful day it was, definitely hectic and chaotic for us organizing (serving food for 300 people at once, is not a piece of cake, and neither is ensuring that everyone has a good time).

We do think however, that everyone who celebrated with us has enjoyed the day and went home with newly gained knowledge and good memories of Earth Day 2015! We will have those good memories for sure, and one thing is for sure: The Earth is well worth celebrating and we better do it big!!

Celebrating Earth Day 2015 with a big Open House event at Richmond

R I C H M O N D V A L E A C A D E M Y

" Newsletter June 20154

Our Partner in Belize Humana People to People

2 years of working in Belize

In Belize the RVA Development Instructors work for 6 months with the local NGO Humana People to People (HPP) Belize. HPP has one main solidarity project in Belize, which goes under the name Child Aid Toledo, where Toledo refers to the most southern and the poorest part of Belize.

The Child Aid, unlike the name suggests, is not just about working with Children. The Child Aid project has as an aim to build the capacity in families and in communities, recognizing that in order to nurture children successfully, the entire community needs to be empowered and improved. To reach this goal, the Child Aid works under the following 10 lines:

1) Strengthening families’ economy2) Health and hygiene3) Preschools4) Children as Active in Society5) Children without parents6) Education7) District Development8) Environmental Protection9) Culture and communication10) Farmers’ Cooperatives

Mahsa Boorboor, planting moringa trees with students at Aguacate village in 2013

Museum & artctraft special project of Mahsa Boorboor in Aguacate village

in 2013

Building a bus stop

in San Isidro -

bus stops in this District are really important as a shade and safe place to wait for the bus, sometimes for hours -

project of Natsuko Kamijo in

september 2014

R I C H M O N D V A L E A C A D E M Y

Newsletter June 2015 " 5

2 years of working in Belize

Construction of playgrounds for primary school in Blue Creek - Special Project of Alessia in 2015

Blue Creek primary school library renovation and modernization - Special Project of Anna in 2015

Painting the Volleyball field to promote and sustain sport activities as a hobby and a healthy lifestyle

Volleyball training for the official primary school teams (female and male) in Blue Creek

Holding kid’s club at the primary school of Blue Creek

Construction of the Blue Creek sign at the junction 4 miles before the village to promote local economy

R I C H M O N D V A L E A C A D E M Y

" Newsletter June 20156

My service project was in Aguacate, a little remote village in the southern region of Belize. Before I started my project, I visited most of the families, to get to know the people, their lifestyle and their wishes. My first meeting with the villagers didn’t go too well. The women were often shy and showing little emotion, said little and most were speaking little or no English, even though it is the national language of Belize.

Despite all of this, they have many abilities, they maintain their little handmade bamboo or wooden house in the very good shape, their roofs made of leaves and there are no floors but soil. The most attractive thing for me in each single house was the cleanliness. Most of the families have so many children and the women of the family take care of them with love and all of their attention. All the children look always neat and their old clothes look clean and nice. The food is always ready in the house on time, usually each meal contains of corn tortilla which is a very long

process to make. First peel and grain the corn, then make equal size circles, then bake them in a big iron smooth dish on the firewood stove. No matter how early I woke up the firewood stove was on and the food was ready and the washed clothes were hung to dry.

Sometimes the men return with the wild animal they hunted, the women cut and smoke the meat to preserve it to keep it for longer time.

For fishing they paint soft drink bottles blue and lay them in the river to catch little fish.

This was a very special experience for me, these women with little education and almost no money they knew how to survive and how to take care of their family in a very good way. I feel so small in front of all their unique abilities.

I felt deep in my heart I want to work with them, I want to teach them what I know and learn from them. I want to talk to them and know their dreams, and share mine.

I made and put a sign in the middle of village: “English class for women in the volunteers’ house” Humana People to People provided chairs, notebook, pencil and a flip chart.

This was a beginning of a beautiful relationship with the women. First I taught them with paint or I improvised through my body language then later we could communicate with simple sentences. After each class we practiced the song “What a wonderful world” together.

We continued the class until the end of my project; in the last day we were a group of friends who knew each other very well and we share our dream together. Bernice is a single mom with a son, Armin and her dream is for him to grow well and look after her when she gets old. Minita was the shyest in the class, who dreamt to bake delicious cakes. Magdalena dreamt of a beautiful colorful dress to wear at the church. Safira’s dream was to have a son as she already has 3 daughters. Anna wanted to have

some piglets for herself and her family and my dream is to bring the happiness to the world.

Safira, Anna, Minita, Bernice, Magdalena can take their farm products to the town and sell them now, they can take their child to a doctor because they speak English, and I learned it’s possible to make change.

There are many villages, many towns many invisible women worldwide who work all days and nights tireless with love to feed and clothe their family without asking for any gratitude. Nobody knows them, nobody knows how they feel, what their wishes are…

I would love to thank them for the great things they do and I wish I could show them who they really are and how important are the things they do.

Mahsa BoorboorFighting with the Poor teacher

Invisible Women

R I C H M O N D V A L E A C A D E M Y

Newsletter June 2015 "7

“Together we change the world”

R I C H M O N D V A L E A C A D E M Y

Richmond Vale Academy June 2015

We Take Action and you can get involved now!Over 500 international activists from countries all over the world have chosen to participate in our programs and have helped us to build Richmond Vale Academy into the place that it is today. With the Climate Compliance Conference and Fighting with the Poor we have big visions and dreams and for that we are welcoming hundreds more activists to fight global poverty and make the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines into a climate compliant country.

Find out on our website how to join one of our next Teams starting up in the fall of 2015 or the spring of 2016:

- Fighting with the Poor Teams (18 months): October 2015 and April 2016

- Climate Compliance Teams (6 months): July and November 2015, March and July 2016

- Climate Compliance Teams (1 month): Every March, July and November

Don’t hesitate and join hands with us in this big quest!!

Richmond Vale AcademyChateaubelair

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

www.richmondvale.orgwww.talkgreen.org

www.facebook.com/RichmondValeAcademy+1784 458 2255

info@richmondvale.org