Date of Workshop: September 9 - 10, 2023

Workshop Coordinator: Giani Razab-Sekh

Nestled in one of the most forested regions in the world, Suriname’s landscape is rich in biodiversity and resources. Its vast tropical forests, which cover 93% of the country, play a critical role in the lives of Indigenous and Maroon communities, providing everything from food and medicine to building materials. These forests help Suriname remain a rare carbon-negative country, though they face growing threats from mining and timber extraction.

In November 2023, Bigi Poika was one of three Suriname communities, alongside Cassipora and Matta, to host a Youth Visioning workshop led by Pilot Projects and Forestry and Agricultural Support Suriname (FASS). With the decline in village populations, including Bigi Poika, traditional forest guardianship is being lost. This workshop aimed to empower 15 young men and 15 young women to take on leadership roles in their community by fostering discussions about forest-based livelihoods and future job prospects.

In addition to the Youth Visioning activities, FASS organized seminars on forestry and agriculture, which provided participants with insights into sustainable forest management and agroforestry systems. These sessions not only helped participants understand the importance of managing their natural resources but also highlighted potential economic opportunities, allowing them to envision a future where both development and conservation thrive.

"If I leave the village, I will study hard to become a doctor and come back to work here in my community," one participant shared. Another reflected, "Paramaribo is very crowded, while the village is very peaceful," underscoring the community’s strong attachment to their home and the importance of preserving their way of life.