Today the field trip was to Yuka, an hour’s drive away, with Salma and our driver Wilber. We were to do a “spot check” on the play scheme there. A bit like a mini Ofsted.
They didn’t know we were coming and yet most things had started by the time we arrived. About 20 children outside the church building were dancing and chanting and playing games. The others were getting arranged on their mats to be taught by the volunteer mothers. Considering the children were 3/4 years old there was an air of calm organisation. Just as we got started we had a downpour so the outside children came in and sat quietly while the mothers struggled to get themselves heard above the din on the tin roof.
Salma observed and filled in her form while I tried to work out what was going on in a language I did not understand. Still, it was obvious that the children enjoyed learning simple ideas while the mothers appeared very competent at what they were doing. One of Lively Mind’s strengths is that it works to the same formula in all the villages. I recognised many of the things I had seen before in Ntinda – the same games, 4 children to a mat, a timekeeper so facilitate the rotation of the children and so on.
The team here have many frustrating moments but they keep hammering away at the programme that Lively Minds has set up and put pressure on the parent to conform to their pattern. It seems that half of the children present were too young ( a strict 3 years and above) so the second play session did not take place for these little ones.
Other things that go wrong?
It rains and the roads become impassable because they are made of mud.
It rains after a dry period so the mother have to go to the fields to plant crops.
Village matters take over eg a court hearing involving mothers.
Mourning for the death of a villager.
Illness of a key figure in running the play schemes.
Mothers don’t turn up on time or at all for their training activities given once a month
Small children who have to be brought along, distract the mothers during an activity.
Phone calls made daily from the office here are sometimes not answered.
Festivals.
And so on.
But the amazing thing is that the staff here persevere by rescheduling meetings and pestering volunteers when things are not perfect. They phone again. They wait for sometimes 45 minutes before an activity can begin.
Anyway enough of that. Today I had full attendance at my first French lesson for staff. Bonjour, Ca va. Ca va bien mercie. Two countries which border Uganda are French speaking. Answers on a postcard please.
Yesterday I gave a short presentation on how the building blocks might be used to vary the challenges given to the children. You know, making patterns and sequences etc. I feel that I’m being a little bit useful at last.
And last night I had the best Goan fish curry ever at the Mati Mahal. Nice. Sorry Balti Curries, Falmouth, I’m changing my allegiance.
robjohnsey in Africa 