Mahempe!

Ryan always draws a crowd!
Photo: Adrian O'Sullivan

The last couple weeks have flown by here in Siyasiya! At the start of last week we took part in two days training with our partner CYECE, where we were briefed on the monitoring forms for children in primary schools and transitional centres, data entry, life skills, anti-bullying campaigns and child rights. During the training we also formulated our schedule for the cohort, in order to ensure that we stay on track during the coming weeks and meet all of our targets.

Beatrice, Ursula, Tryness and Charli prepare the curriculum.
Photo: Adrian O'Sullivan

Using the skills we learned in our training we then devised lesson plans for the child rights and life skills classes we will be conducting in the 16 schools in the surrounding district. We deliver lessons in groups of four, with two UKVs and two ICVs, and each lesson lasts between 40-60 minutes.

In the life skills lesson we have decided to focus on teaching the children effective communication, assertiveness and self-esteem and conflict resolution, which will link directly with our anti-bullying campaigns which we will be delivering in assemblies later in the month. In the child right classes we are focusing on the importance of education and the barriers that children of primary school age face, for example child labour, poverty, early marriage and HIV and aids. These classes are vital because although the children we teach currently attend school, they are still at huge risk at dropping out, especially when the rainy season begins next month which  is when the majority of children drop out.

Tom takes part in a Life Skills session on HIV
Photo: Lucky Katundu

The first week of lessons has been a monumental success as we have taught 257 children, all of whom have been hugely enthusiastic and eager to listen and learn. After delivering our first few lessons we also took time to reflect, change and adapt the lessons as a team. We are often unable to know the age of the children we will be delivering the lessons to until we arrive at the schools, therefore it is important to have several variations of the same lesson which we can adapt to suit the ages we are teaching. The children also have varying levels of English, therefore the lessons we deliver are primarily conducted in Chichewa, as a result the UKVs are ensuring they learn some key phrases in order to help facilitate and be involved fully in the lessons. As a result everyone is looking forward to another week of teaching next week!

Tryness, Beatrice, Sully and Charli lead a session on Child Rights in Mpondanjati
Photo: Adrian O'Sullivan

We have also been undertaking follow up visits for children who have said they were going to enrol in school in September but have failed to enrol. This involved going round to the individual children’s’ houses and talking to them and their parents to try and learn the reasons behind the child’s choice to not return to school.

The team have also now become a regular feature at the Famine Clinic on a Friday, and have now become involved with all processes. The team weigh the babies, measure their arm circumference and height, register the names and hand out the food. Our very own nurse Priscilla has even performed injections!

Written by Ursula Sullivan