As the coordinator of the Education & Training department, she plays a pivotal role in promoting sexual and reproductive health within the community. Her work brings her into contact with diverse groups, including men, women, couples, and youth.For over 20 years, Mahalia Breidel has been instrumental in implementing impactful initiatives in Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) through the Lobi Foundation, contributing to informed decision-making regarding sexual and reproductive health. Several of these initiatives have been executed in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in recent years. Last year, multiple Out-of-School CSE training sessions were conducted, reaching approximately 102 individuals, including adolescent mothers and fathers, parents and caregivers, and teachers. With UNFPA's support, Mahalia has been able to contribute to the development of youth and women, accelerating the pace of progress.Mahalia strongly believes in the importance of investing in women, aligning with this year's theme of the UN 68th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 68): "Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress." For her, it's evident that the well-being of women is closely linked to the strength and stability of society. She emphasizes that women play a crucial role in families and communities, highlighting the essential need to invest in them to achieve sustainable progress.One of the greatest challenges Mahalia sees in investing in young mothers is addressing structural barriers that hinder them from realizing their full potential. Poverty, violence, and a lack of knowledge about sexual and reproductive health persist as obstacles that need to be overcome. Moreover, there's a cultural stigma discouraging women from pursuing higher ambitions.Nevertheless, Mahalia remains optimistic about the positive developments that can arise from investing in women and girls. She believes that breaking the cycle of dependency and promoting female leadership will not only benefit individuals but also strengthen the entire community. For her, a female president is not a utopia but an achievable goal worth pursuing.As an advocate for gender equality and empowerment, Mahalia continues her mission to support and inspire women and girls to reach their full potential. Her dedication and determination are a source of inspiration for many, and her vision of a just and inclusive society continues to guide her work at the Lobi Health Center Foundation.   
 

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) organizes this Festival globally, to build understanding and humanize migration through film and video. The goal of the GMFF is to entertain, inform, educate, and stimulate discussion. In Suriname, four short Caribbean films were screened - "Passage", "Over the River Chronicles: A Vincentian Cassava Story", "Doubles with Slight Pepper", and "Auntie". The films dealt with various topics such as migrant smuggling and death at sea on one hand, and Caribbean food and culture on the other.  Jan- Willem Wegdam, Project Lead at IOM Suriname said he was happy to organize the event for the first time in Suriname. “Our goal was to gather the different cultural groups in Suriname and create some awareness of the common experiences of migration through film.” He wishes that the Festival will encourage more empathy and unity among communities in Suriname and elsewhere.  The first movie "Passage" told a tragic story of irregular migration from Haiti and led to thought-provoking discussion with the Bahamian film-maker Kareem Mortimer.  Mortimer chose not to use dialogue but focused instead on potent visual storytelling to establish a deep connection with viewers.  The ensuing panel discussion reflected on a quote from the film: "In life, we do not receive what we deserve, we receive what we negotiate". Panelists shared their perspectives, shedding light on challenges faced by the Haitian community in Suriname, including stigma, discrimination, and limited opportunities, while acknowledging the generally supportive environment in Suriname towards migrants. Panelists included Norville Plet Burleson, a social worker and Anne Simon of the Haitian Consulate.   The second short film "Over the River Chronicles: A Vincentian Cassava Story", immersed viewers in the vibrant Caribbean culture, beautiful landscapes, rich traditions and customs of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The audience connected with the film's music, joining in a traditional work song associated with the processing of the cassava root “Farine oh Dampiana, Farine oh Dampiana; Scrape um, grind um, wring out the water; Scrape um, grind um, wring out the water…”   Day Two of the GMFF presented films that explored migration, identity and belonging, and the stories of those who stay behind when their family members move to another country, the sense of loss, and dreams of reuniting. "Doubles with a Slight Pepper" combined scenes of warm nostalgia with vivid portrayals of the hard realities of migration. A film highlighted the role of food “Doubles” as a source of comfort and belonging. The Director, Ian Hawthorne explained that his own story inspired the movie.  The film, “Auntie”, examined love, loss and self-discovery, through the story of a migrant mother who provides materially, while an aunt raises her daughter "back home”. The effects on the characters are complex. Suriname’s first GMFF used film, dialogue, food, and music to promote understanding across cultures and experiences.  The event used diverse Caribbean migration stories in film to create a powerful platform to bring people of different backgrounds together for dialogue, understanding, and to build empathy about migration issues, while honouring the strength of migrants and celebrating the positive impacts that they can have on culture and society.  The GMFF was hosted by IOM Suriname with generous support from the US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.  For more information, contact Jan-Willem Wegdam jwegdam@iom.int 

Most of Suriname's population is concentrated in the coastal areas, with the interior regions still underdeveloped and suffering from poverty and unemployment. The National Policy Development Plan aims to enhance the country’s social and economic resilience identifying agriculture and agribusiness as key development areas, with pineapple being one of the key commodities of the country, especially for the inner regions. Since 2018, in response to the request of the Government of Suriname, FAO and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have supported the pineapple sector under the Agrifood Systems Accelerator (ASTA) Suriname, a joint value chain (VC) development initiative. This included extensive analysis, upgrading design and initial implementation activities, which culminated in the development of the ‘’Sustainable Pineapple Value Chain Development Joint Programme in Suriname’’ - ASTA Suriname project - financially supported by the UN Joint SDG Fund. Supporting organic pineapple production by indigenous and rural communities across Suriname’s pineapple belt, the project aims to facilitate the country’s transformation from a marginal pineapple producer - characterized by traditional growing practices, little value-addition and no exports - to an established producer and exporter of high quality organic fresh and processed pineapples. Applying an inclusive, sustainable value chain approach, the programme will enable pineapple VC actors, notably indigenous producers, to increase their productivity, competitiveness, and access to markets.
  A recent FAO field mission enabled collaborative efforts of United Nations Resident Coordinator Ms Joanna Kazana and the team from FAO and UNIDO implementing the ASTA Suriname project. Ms Kazana was joined by Ms. Margherita Bavagnoli, International Value Chain Finance Expert from the Food Systems and Food Safety Division (ESF) of FAO HQ to supervise the implementation of the project activities primarily in the indigenous village of Redi Doti, in the Para district of Suriname. FAO's national agronomist, Ms. Hemwatie Goeptar, facilitated the visit showcasing the benefits of Surinamese pineapple varieties improvement, incorporating mechanical land preparation, staggered planting, and artificial flower induction for year-round production. The visit targeted the plot of Mr. Renaldo Mandé, an indigenous farmer supported by the FAO-UNIDO project to implement organic pineapple production practices in his farm and the whole indigenous community of Redi Doti, in central Suriname.   The project introduced climate-resilient agronomic practices that sustainably increase productivity and quality. Hands-on farmer training and an on-ground trial plot demonstrated effective techniques like soil enhancement, optimal input use, and planting pineapple in beds. This advances transitions for responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). The ASTA Suriname project trainings on good agricultural practices and organic production empowered 120 marginalized indigenous women and youth to effectively participate in and benefit from the evolving pineapple value chain. The processing facility of the Women Cooperative Redi Doti and Pierre Kondre, Asajaka Weno Verwerking U.A., located in the indigenous village Pierre Kondre, was also a pivotal stop during this field mission. Engaging with the women cooperative's chair, Ms. Claudia Maatsen, the team learned about the cooperative's operations, which involve purchasing fresh fruits from women farmers in the community and processing them into fresh and natural juice, pulp, and frozen cuts of pineapples. The emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices and engagement with indigenous communities underscores the mission's commitment to significantly contribute to the realization of SDG goals, fostering a more resilient and equitable agrifood system. Originally published by FAO: Transforming Suriname’s Pineapple Industry: UN-Led Initiative Targets Sustainable Growth Note: The Joint SDG Fund's joint programmes are under the prestige leadership of the Resident Coordinator Office and implementing United Nations Agencies. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.  Learn more  

On January 24, we commemorate the International Day of Education. This year, the focus is on the crucial role of education and teachers in combating hate speech. The message from the Secretary-General of the UN for this day emphasizes the fundamental role of education as a human right, the cornerstone of societies, economies, and the potential of each individual. However, he laments the lack of adequate investments, noting that without these investments, the potential of education will wither. Across the world, we witness a growth in violent conflicts where discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and hate speech go hand in hand. These forms of hatred transcend geographical, gender, racial, religious, political, online, and offline boundaries. An active commitment to peace is now more urgent than ever, with education at its core, as emphasized by Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO: "Because if hatred starts with words, peace starts with education. What we learn changes how we view the world and influences how we treat others. Education must, therefore, be at the heart of our efforts to achieve and maintain world peace." Learning for peace must be transformative, providing students with the knowledge, values, attitudes, and skills to become peacemakers in their communities. This requires a critical examination of information on social media, the development of empathy and respect for diversity, and the teaching of conflict resolution in a peaceful manner. In Suriname, with its rich multicultural society, this message is particularly important. We must equip our children with the means to recognize and combat hate speech, and to build bridges instead of walls. This begins in the classroom, with teachers raising awareness among students about the dangers of hate speech and encouraging them to think critically and communicate respectfully. The Transforming Education Summit of 2023 brought together over 130 countries, including Suriname, committing to universal high-quality education as a central pillar of public policies and investments. The Secretary-General emphasizes the need for all countries to translate their Summit commitments into concrete actions, aiming to create supportive and inclusive learning environments for all students. Education is a human right, a public good, and a public responsibility. Let's keep the flame of transformation burning. Let's deliver education systems that can support equal societies, dynamic economies, and the boundless dreams of every learner in the world.