In Guinea-Bissau there is still a hidden and forgotten region – the Archipelago of the Bijagós. It is in this place, tucked away from the rest of the world that over 400 children study through a network of 7 primary schools, a number significantly higher than the 70 students with access to education that studied in makeshift structures back in 2003.   

Construction of a school playground, extension of schooling all the way to 6th grade, teacher training and setting up literacy and adult education programmes. All this possible during the 3 years that IMVF – Instituto Marquês de Valle Flor and Tiniguena intervened for ‘Primary Education for All’ in the Urok Islands. The project revolutionised everyday life in the islands, ensuring more and better education to populations previously deprived from access to education.

In, for instance Chediã Island, one of the 3 in the Archipelago, there had not been any educational support nor investment in the last 15 years. The project ensured that the opportunity and right to education reached people. Currently, 80 children attend the 2 schools in the island. These and other results are detailed in the “Education for All” Report.

This is an excellent example of best practices by the Portuguese Cooperation that value individual skills such as knowing how to write one’s own name or being able to take notes on local meetings. 

It is imperative to remain engaged and respond to the expectations and momentum created by the about 3000 people that live in the Urok Islands. The Urok Osheni Project represents the next challenge. Throughout the next 3 years, the Project looks to build a model for sustainable and integrated development for the Protected Marine Area of Urok.

Education as a weapon…
“The work in Urok was not easy, in fact it was a real challenge to work in such an isolated community, with so many concrete obstacles, while conversely offering so many opportunities for the community to trail a new path.”, Diogo Ferreira,IMVF Project Coordinator

“There were moments when I would not sleep at night reflecting over what we had written on the Project and what to do to make it work… build schools in the middle of an island?”
Emanuel Ramos, Project Manager in Urok

“In order to allow for participative processes and truly engage Bijagó communities in shaping their future of the environment in which they live, it is essential that they possess the instruments to do so.”, Augusta Henriques, Tiniguena Secretary-General
“This is an opportunity for the children of Urok to have access to education, while allowing many women that did not know how to read or write to learn, opening doors”, Manuela Otiango, the only female teacher in Urok.