Welcome to Suriname with its bussling capital full of Dutch colonial architecture its wild interior riddled with waterfalls, rivers and wildlife. Its wonderful ethnic diversity makes for excellent spicy cuisine and friendly, open-minded people.

A world away from the world of the Maroons - the forgotten people of Suriname.

Suriname has an extensive educational system with free schooling compulsory until age 12.

However the 2000 Suriname Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey estimated the literacy rate of the interior population at around 51%. www.paho.org

There are many children that go to school hungry, with no shoes or exercise books.

Jenny seen here with the Make Jesus Smile shoebox project.