Quota International of Suriname
Stuka Prisiri

Last holiday season, 24 children took the stage at a community center to sing, dance, and play flutes for their families at a community center in Parmaribo, Suriname's capital. The performers had once been timid, but thanks to Quota International's Club-to-Club project, they had been transformed into outgoing, happy children who had met the expectations set forth by the program's title: Stuka Prisiri ("To Learn with Pleasure").

Twice a month, Suriname Quotarians boarded two buses to pick children up from their homes in impoverished areas outside of the capital and took them to the center for days filled with skill-building, lessons, and lots of fun. There was plenty of opportunity for creative expression through sports, art, music, and dance lessons, but the Quotarians also worked with participants to help them develop the skills essential for success in life: money management, respect for one another, good communication, and study skills. The program also exposed them to a variety of professions that revealed the importance of these abilities and helped them set long-term goals; the children visited farms, nurseries, a local telecommunications company, and a four-star hotel where they learned how to set and decorate a dinner table, take orders, and serve food and beverages. Learning has never been this much fun!

• To read about the Suriname club's 2007-2009 Club-to-Club project, click here.

• If you wish to donate to this project, please click here.
  
  
• To learn more about Suriname, click here.
  
  
• To return to the Club-to-Club World Service page,
  click here.