Getting to Know Your International Contacts Part 1

I listened to the World Forum Foundation Radio.  The speaker was Susan Leon.  She discussed how she was taken with the Reggio Emilia approach for learning.  She was so inspired by the work that she brought the exhibit 100 Languages of Children to the bay area of California.  It was used for professional development and advocacy.  She also began a project called the Innovative Teacher Project.  The project encompasses a network of schools and they meet frequently.  They present their schools, have round table discussions, and professional development.  It has had a huge impact on the area for both public and private school settings. 

I was unable to pull up the website www.childhoodpoverty.org however I viewed a video from the World Forum Foundation's Wofo TV.  The video was of a speaker at a World Forum event.  Her name is Sakena Yacoobi and she is from Afghanistan.  She discussed the issue of children and poverty.  She began her talk about how her country has been ravaged by war for many, many years.  She states "Where I am from life does not look beautiful but we are hopeful".  She spoke of the refugee camps and the conditions in which children and families are living.  Though they may be safe from the dangers of war, these people are traumatized from their experiences and are living in horrible, unsafe conditions.  The area is unsafe, has no water, and the ground has snakes and scorpions about.  Sakena goes on to explain how she has helped these people.  She has started education programs both for early childhood and for parents as well.  She takes the holistic approach in educating the entire family.  Though there are no buildings for schools, or no books or toys, they educate the children with safe, loving and caring interactions, and the teaching of vocabulary with the focus of teaching about peace, love and caring.   Parents, mainly women are educated on health, life skills, as well as reading and writing skills.  Her belief is that the family must learn and that makes the children feel safe.  Through education the women gain confidence and begin to stand up for themselves and are able to say no to those that want to do them harm.  Sakena also spoke of how the country has changed over the past ten years.  There is a government but things still are not great.  However she explained that when the Taliban was in control schools were underground and now 6 million children are now being educated in schools.  Children are being taught critical thinking skills instead of by rote memorization.  She explains that as the children are educated and grow into adults they will be able to make their own choices of what to believe instead of being told.  Sakena discussed that 95% of the people in Afghanistan are living in poverty. However she talks about the training and education that is being provided so people can learn a trade and not have to rely on the street market to make money.  Women especially are becoming more empowered by training and learning and are wanting become active in medicine and in the government.  She shared the story of how poor many people are.  The story she shared told of how a man sold one of  his 6 children for some bags of wheat.  The wheat would feed the rest of the family through the three remaining months of winter.  She shared how the siblings came to school in tears and told what happened.  As a result they were able to get the boy back.  Sakena also talked about how early childhood education is making a difference for her country.  The children in preschool are being taught 3 languages.  She states that through education is how change will occur. 

Watching this video was a real eye opening experience for me.  To hear what really goes on in places around the world is very insightful.  To know how people live is both very alarming, however to see the results of people taking action and through advocacy change does occur and there is hope for a better future. 

Reference:

World Forum Foundation. (2014). Children and poverty. [Video presentation].  Retrieved from
http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/media-and-resources/wofo-tv/