Leisure clubs to compensate Syria’s affected children for missing education

With a viewto alleviatingthe suffering of children in Syria, Education Ministry and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are working together to open leisure clubs in areas affected by armed terrorist groups’ acts.

As a first step, the clubs opened in Daraa province target first and second stages of basic education, and it would include in the future secondary education in “al-Dorra” school in the city. 

The main goals of the clubs are to compensateaffected children for missing education opportunities, guarantee social and psychological welfarefor them, and restore the sense of normal life to them.

5 clubs

IyadKholi, a social worker, sees the experience of clubs as an opportunity for children to express their preferences through activities being held in hard times during which children feel loneliness.

“In August 2011, the clubs were opened within five schools in the province; three of which are in the city and the other two are in “Jasem” and “Harra” in the countryside,” said Kholi.

He clarified that teachers, schools’ directors, social workers, and volunteers have followed training courses organized by the UNICEF in cooperation with local parties concerned to work in the clubs.

The courses dealt with social and psychological support, first aid, and mental health, according to SANA reporter.

One of the clubs’ students, Sari al-Saeed, said: “in the city (Daraa city), private schools and institutes which were receiving students in summer vacation have been closed.”

The current events lead to both psychological and physical problems, not to mention lost of filling leisure times in activities that are useful for person and society. 

Children aged between 2-15 have paid the highest price in these events as they have been prevented from developing their preferences at personal or educational levels.

 

Life style

Violence has forced children to change their life style to a new one that does not go along with children’s age and requirements of the Age.

Abo Mohammad, father of a student in “al-Dorra” school praised the experience that has successfully changed his son’s life style after communication with his classmates.

He noted that the club’s students have only one day off on Friday, describing the club as a safe place for children.

“Children sound veryenthusiastic and satisfied because of the existence of their classmates and the care being offered to them,” said the father, hoping to apply the same experience in other schools in the province.

EmOmar, is a mother who refused at the beginning to send her children, who love music, to the club because she fear for them from the current events.

“At home, my children were only talking about violence as they saw killed people in the city,” said the mother, stressing that her children’s talks have changed after they went to the club.

Protecting environment

Director of “That al-Netaqain” school, Hala al-Taani, has a leading environmental club within the school consisting of 22 students to spread environmental awareness among students and enhance cooperation in this regard.

“This experience is the first in the province and we are planning to implement it in other schools,” said al-Taani.

All year round, the club team which is divided into three groups distributes brochures on protecting environment, water, air, and soil.

In cooperation with circles concerned in the province, the groups screen educational films and give lectures on environmental awareness.

Moreover, contest are being organized at level of school and followed by distributing prizes among winners, and exposing drawings in the school’s lobby.

This experience is just an example of other initiatives and activities being launched by the Syrian government, Non-Governmental Organizations and Local community to help affected people across Syria.

Translated by: BasmaQaddour