Context
Education is the foundation of all sustainable and well thought out development. It is this which guarantees the acquisition of numerous skills and / or capacities which allow man to meet the challenges of his time. Because it is capital for the progress of humanity, the United Nations (UN) enshrines in its Sustainable Development Goal n ° 4 (SDG4), the need for all countries to work for better education. quality for all. Thus, many reforms in Africa and Benin are aimed at improving the quality of the education system and, among other things, strengthening the skills of teachers, an essential link in the system. However, a reductive and erroneous conception of education developed in our societies tends to bring it back solely to the senses of teaching and learning where it focuses almost exclusively on the training received in places of knowledge. Unfortunately, many aspects as important as school education and / or vocational learning are not popularized in schools and appropriated by young learners. The contingencies of the current evolution of our societies and of living together require, for example, very great attention to be paid to digital education, leadership, entrepreneurship, civic and political life and moral values. More specifically, in an environment where family circles are put to the test due to professional pressures, social problems (family tearing) and other factors, adolescents sorely lack models and framework where they can effectively experience the savoir vivre and knowing how to be in community to learn good civic and moral practices. So many aspects neglected under our skies but which could be highlighted through specific initiatives developed locally.
Objective of the activity
• Educate children and adolescents in better hygiene, both environmental and physical, in knowing how to live in society, in respecting civic and moral values.
Implementation of the activity
The 2019 summer camp took place from June 30 to July 6, 2019 in the ADODO villa located in Zohoungo II. It brought together thirty-three (33) children and adolescents around several activities. The reception and installation of the campers were made on the evening of June 30. Following the inventory of the luggage of each participant, we proceeded to a presentation of the places and the rules of the camp. Then the campers learned the camp anthem, sang and danced around the campfire. Finally, a dinner was offered to the participants and each of them went to bed after taking a bath, brushing their teeth and saying a prayer.
- During the whole week dedicated to the camp, many activities were carried out. These include, among others:
the Welcoming Party and the masked ball; - an awareness-raising workshop entitled "Black and beautiful" and dealing with the harmful effects of depigmentation;
- personal development workshops to strengthen the self-confidence of campers through the construction of the sentences I am + a positive word / a quality sought (I am happy, I am intelligent, I am wise, etc.);
- artistic workshops (drawing and free painting);
- animation sessions for an English club (irregular verbs, vocabulary words on holidays, writing on children's rights and duties, spelling bee, etc.);
- sports (gymnastics and jogging) and manual activities (making friendship bracelets with rubber bands and beads);
- workshops on citizenship (love of the motherland, respect for the elderly, respect for the public good, etc.);
- storytelling, dancing and silent reading workshops;
- workshops on personal hygiene and environmental education, in particular the importance of trees and the problem of plastic bags and their dangers on human health, environmental vocabulary (ozone layer, greenhouse gases, clouds, etc. .);
- various games (card game, hide and seek game, Ludo, Awalé, etc.).
Funding and partner
The overall budget for the activity amounts to three hundred and fifty-eight thousand two hundred CFA francs (358,200 CFA francs). It was covered by our organization and the costs of financial participation which amounted to 10,000 CFA francs per head (or 220,000 FCFA). We did not have a partner for this activity.
Results obtained and quantified impact
Thirty-three (33) children and adolescents have been educated on many aspects of life in society and have seen their knowledge strengthened with regard to environmental challenges, personal hygiene, the English language and reading.
Difficulties encountered and solution approaches
The main difficulty was the mobilization of financial contributions from the participants. Many parents recognizing the quality of the activity brought their children without having the possibility of paying the consequent expenses. Such situations weighed heavily on the organization. Nevertheless, we have accepted all the children and adolescents present for the 2019 edition. More rigorous arrangements will be made for the next camps.
