News from our sponsored village in Bakoteh
18/10/2007
SOS Children’s Village Bakoteh has just written this report on all the sponsored children:
The village is enjoying the usual cool weather in the mornings and experiencing the heat during the day. But all the same as usual mothers and children alike enjoy it and go about their normal routines. Recently two children were admitted in the transit home for babies and we now have a total of 103 in the village. The new children have settled down well as they have found a mother, a home, brothers and sisters to call their own.
SOS Family Strengthening Programme
Our Family Strengthening Programme started here in July 2005, with 25 families (130 children). As of today, the programme helps 129 families (343 children) toward self-reliance. Depending on each child and the family needs, the programme supports children with their school fees, materials and uniforms, and food parcels (for a period of one year on average), to give the care-giver some time to concentrate on his of her new business or improve their current / old business. Some families were also supported with mattresses as the children were found sleeping on the floor. As malaria is a major concern, the programme also makes sure that all children and care-giver sleep under mosquito nets. Making sure children have enough to eat and sleep properly is essential for their concentration in school!
At the same time, the programme coordinator analyses with the care-givers ways to improve the care given to the children, which is mainly linked to getting sufficient income. Care-givers identify and propose their areas of interest or discuss with the coordinator what could improve their existing business, and the programme does its best to support their initiatives. Regular counselling and monitoring takes place too so we can analyse how well the business is going.
Our Primary School
We have undertaken a number of extracurricular activities to help expand the range of skills learned. The Agricultural Science Department made a field trip to the International Tripanotolerance Centre to introduce Animal Physiology to the students as part of the curriculum. Teachers attended a workshop on Healthy Relationships and HIV/AIDS. We invited a speaker to give Careers awareness to our older students. And as part of ‚International Awareness’, the co-ordinator of the school Science Club gave a talk to the students on World Water Day, about the importance of water. In our environmental activities, we continued to undertake our monthly cleaning exercise in and around the school compound.
Secondary School
Guest speakers were invited to come and share their experiences with the students about their professions: what motivated them, and the requirements needed to get into those professions. This helps the students to see the realities of certain professions and their responsibilities towards their education and their attitude to life in general. A positive outcome was that the students were able to choose their career options after reflecting on their abilities and capabilities. Field trips were organized to various companies with the aim for students to explore the various types of jobs available.
Our results in the latest West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations showed a 90% pass rate – we were very proud of all the students.
Sponsored Mother and Child Clinic
Our aim has been to offer preventive and curative treatment, mostly to women and children. Our patients have been very appreciative of the care they receive, which is shown by the increasing attendance each year. Roughly two-thirds of the patients are children who came for consultation,weighing and immunization. Hundreds of women also came for antenatal care and family planning advice.
The clinic actively takes part in the prevention of pandemic diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and diarrheal diseases. In regard to this, the clinic will be distributing free, long-lasting, insecticide-impregnated bednets to vulnerable groups: women during antenatal consultation and children under 5 years old. We also provide free malaria drugs to pregnant women.
Relevant Countries: The Gambia.