Hello All! I'm A New Volunteer
HELLO ALL! My name is Marija and this summer I decided to move my boundaries, leave my fears and find out what more is there to do and learn. While I was searching the internet, my decision led me to amazing and thoughtful Bookfeeding project in Madagascar.
As I was reading the article for volunteers, I fell in love with the story about first Bookfeeding project library in Madagascar and the young visitors who are learning to read and write. The library was opened in summer 2013 in Malagasy village, near the town Mahitsy, with the purpose of providing books and educational material for children and everyone who wants to learn read and write. At first, Madagascar seemed so far away, but after a skype conversation with Alena Machalkova, founder of the project, I decided; I'm going to Madagascar for three months, and using my knowledge and skills, will try to create a different reality and help others.
WHAT WILL I BE DOING? My aim, while visiting Madagascar, is to teach reading and writing to children who visit library and to help them master different skills. Because of the conditions and children of different ages, this won't be a conventional way of learning. I intend to make different kinds of workshops for children, which will be composed of different activities. By playing various games, for example, children can learn essential skills that can be useful later in their lives. By doing arts and crafts, children will be able to learn to read and write easier. Here are some of the ideas of what we’ll be doing: picture dictionary, memory game, puppet theater, planting, potato stamps for textile, jewellery from natural remnants, soap balloons, different games that include handmade instruments and music. I will take lots of photos and write short articles and stories on the project’s official website about various activities that I do with the kids. Besides working with children, there is also an initiative to make a solar kitchen for the village so there will be many things to do.
WHAT AM I DOING NOW? At the moment I'm preparing for the trip. I'm collecting books and school supplies with a little help of my friends who work in school and kindergarten. I've made a box with lemur who invites everyone to join the project and help in the way he can. Schools and kindergartens are excellent collection points and good way to teach children to be sensitive for others needs and problems.
Next article will be from Madagascar. Stay in touch!