Shireen Lakhani Recalls Her Assignments in the Dominican Republic

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Shireen talking to Gustavo Gandini from the Biodiversity department, in November 2019.

Bananos Ecológicos de la Línea Noroeste (Banelino), a banana cooperative in the Dominican Republic, has developed a Banana School (Escuela Bananera) to teach farmers and interested youth how to grow bananas. However, their manual for teaching needed to be updated to be more interactive with students as well as computer friendly. To update their teaching materials, Shireen Lakhani traveled to the Dominican Republic in November of 2019 to support Banelino through the Farmer-to-Farmer program. She uploaded two of the manual’s seven modules into an e-learning platform to ensure that the future generation of farmers will be able to use the updated materials to learn more autonomously. 

More recently, in May of 2020, Shireen decided to continue supporting Banelino remotely, as a response to the travel restrictions due to COVID-19. She is teaching Banelino staff how to use e-learning modules more effectively and about online practices that will be useful for the Banana School. She is also helping them develop their evaluation exams. Shireen holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, and an e-learning certificate. She has over 5 years of experience providing training in the use of software and technology utilizing adult learning theories.

Shireen while visiting organic and diversified Banana fields in the Dominican Republic.

In her own words:

When I think of my trip to the Dominican Republic, I am filled with only positive emotions. My assignment of creating online courses for Banelino started back in November 2019. Every single person with whom I came into contact with was so nice that it was a no brainer to say “yes” when I was given the opportunity to continue volunteering remotely.

I really believe in the objectives that Banelino has set, and want to do everything that I can to help Banelino achieve them. With the initiative of the Banana School, Banelino has set out to share the wealth of knowledge that it has about sustainable farming with the youth in the surrounding cities. This knowledge being passed on, especially in a virtual format, has the potential of providing young people interested in agriculture with the opportunity to earn more. This means, improvements not only in their own lives but that of their families too. 

I feel grateful to hold this position because Banelino was initially looking for a Spanish speaker to fill this post. I have been fortunate to work with great field guides from Farmer-to-Farmer who serve as translators and so much more, allowing a really smooth collaboration.

Because I was so moved by my experience in the Dominican Republic, I have begun studying Spanish. I very much hope to return to Banelino and speak to everyone in Spanish!


Shireen, Gustavo from Banelino and our Field Officer, Gabriela Rosas, working remotely.

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