KE 07 - TODAY IS MY FUTURE: ADU KINDERGARTEN
Project Location
The project is carried out in Adu, a small village located not far from the coast of Kenya overlooking the Indian Ocean. It is a mission opened a few years ago, where the population is mainly Giriama who live on subsistence agriculture, mostly the cultivation of corn.
The sisters have done an in-depth study to understand the various factors that put children in difficulty. In recent years, rains in this area are increasingly scarce, putting the population in difficulty because the cultivated fields cannot reach full maturity. With the lost harvest, families find it increasingly difficult to look after their children and parents are moving further and further away to find ways to survive. Families are economically impoverished and overwhelmed by the situation to the point of compromising the natural values of a family that protects the little ones. Children are the ones who suffer most from this kind of situation, often they are left alone and they risk dropping out of school because they have bigger problems than those to solve, such as finding food and looking after the little ones.
Out of this study sisters have formulated various strategies to each of the identified problems at Adu's mission. This project is one of the strategies derived from this study with the objective of supporting children in their development and their families.
Project description
The educational method used in this school takes care of not only the cognitive but also the social and emotional aspect of the child. The aim is to provide a protected environment, ideal for activating children's natural curiosity using creative teaching tools, to educate their ability to communicate, feel appreciated, and co-responsible for caring for relationships and creation. The desire is to cultivate future adolescents and adults who are responsible in tackling life's problems and finding innovative solutions to solve them.
The context inevitably leads to meeting the children's parents and guardians and it is part of the program to involve them in training seminars that help them understand their educational role while appreciating the potential in their children. Many of these parents have not had the opportunity to study and this often creates an obstacle to the children's progress. Through this training we hope for a greater understanding of their role as guardians towards children: the education given to children today will allow them to bring to fruition the future they are dreaming of.
Being a context where parents are economically challenged to provide a regular meal, a snack is given to children every day.
Objectives
- Train children to understand and better manage the climate, cultural, social and economic changes of their area
- To help parents appreciate education and its potential for children's future
- To help parents to understand their role towards children and educational institutions
Beneficiaries
Direct: about 300 children with their parents or guardians
Indirect: families and society
Local contribution
A professionally qualified teacher (a Comboni missionary sister) will personally follow the entire educational program for children and family members assisted by the Consolata Fathers. During the meetings the women will prepare the food, and the children's parents will actively participate in creating the activities.
Referent sister of the project: Sr. Magdalena Maria Setlak
Project's costs