Youth PATH members clear overgrown Heritage Trail

By Pauline Waruguru
Nevis Reporter, SKNVibes.com

Youth Path members clear overgrown Heritage Trail

“The group, which is comprised of young adults between the ages of 15 to 25, was assisted by members of the community as well as staff members of the Ministry of Tourism. Work started on Saturday July 19, 2008 when the group cleared over 200 yards of the overgrown trail,” Webbe said in a press statement.

Prior to clearing the trail, the members of Youth PATH visited the site and were conducted on a tour of the trail by an experienced guide, Lemuel Pemberton, to determine the extent of work needed to be done. 

The group selected the New River trail in an effort to keep the rich history of the area alive. The New River Spring was once the main source of water for residents in the Zion community, who frequented the area to wash in the water that overflowed in the ghaut and to fetch water from the nearby trough. Lynnell Liburd of Sunrise Tours has conducted tours for tourists on the trail in the past.

Webbe is grateful to Liburd for allowing the youth to use it as their training site.

From as far as Hanley’s Road, Butlers and Brick Kiln, people would go to wash in the river while water was taken from the trough for domestic purposes. There is also Frenchman’s Care, where a Frenchman once lived during the days of slavery. It was believed that he received his food from the fruit trees in the ghaut and water from the river.

Youth PATH - Youth Poverty Alleviation through Tourism and Heritage - is a UNESCO initiative that aims to enable young people 15 to 25 in eight Caribbean countries to utilise innovation skills for sustainable employment in the area of heritage tourism, environmental conservation and preservation of heritage sites.  ~~Adz:Right~~

The Youth Path project, which is carried out in 14 developing countries, is geared at Poverty Alleviation through Tourism and Heritage Development. Participants are trained in a wide range of subject areas to prepare them for work in the tourism sector and, more specifically, heritage tourism. Participants come from underprivileged areas and are between the ages of 15-25.

Participants are also involved in heritage site preservation and development towards the economic empowerment and mobilisation of their communities. Young persons in poor communities of the Caribbean are trained in the development and documentation of natural and cultural heritage sites in order for them to become centres of internal or international tourism, an, in so doing, develop entrepreneurial skills for income generation.

The two-year long initiative was officially launched in February 2008 at the Ocean Terrace Inn, St. Kitts by Kwame Boafo, Director of UNESCO, Caribbean Cluster office located in Jamaica. 

In St. Kitts and Nevis the Youth PATH Project Manager is Antonio Maynard. He is the Secretary General St. Kitts and Nevis National Commission for UNESCO.

Over 15 young people in Nevis are currently being trained to learn new skills and enhance their personal development through this programme. The training, which includes tour guiding, interpretation of historical sites, horticulture and identifying ornamental plants, will equip young people to be tour guides.

In Nevis, the Nevisian Heritage Village is the official training site for the UNESCO Youth PATH programme. Webbe said she is pleased with the high level of dedication and dynamism of members of the group.

Webbe explained that other activities that students are involved in through the Youth PATH programme are art and craft and personal development sessions.