JBFC & Right To Play

February 5, 2014 6:00 pm Published by

JBFC launched a partnership in 2012 with Right to Play, a global organization that uses the transformative power of play – playing sports, playing games – to educate and empower children facing adversity.

Right To Play staff members came to JBFC’s Kitongo campus to train our teachers and work with student volunteers on the curriculum which uses games to teach students about subjects like health and conflict resolution. Several of JBFC’s Ambassadors attended training in Toronto to work with Right to Play on creating a brand-new tennis curriculum.

 
 
 Almost two years later, JBFC’s Joseph  & Mary School teachers are still using what they learned from Right to Play facilitators.
 

Second grade teacher Mrs. Zaina recently led her class in on the Right to Play games – Spiders. The class started with a stretch and a warm up activity. Mrs. Zaina then led a short discussion about what spiders eat and how that affects the environment around us. The game then started with two spiders in the middle and children on either side having to run by them without being tagged. Those who are tagged then become spiders.

Spider madness ensued….

 
 
 

And a whole of smiles…

After 20 minutes of this massive game of tag,  Mrs. Zaina led another discussion. She asked questions like: “Did you feel safer running from the spiders or being home in the safe zone? Why?”
She then followed up by asking what the children do to be safe at home- the answers included:
– washing our bodies to prevent disease
– washing our clothes
– sleeping with a mosquito net
– playing to be happy
– eating healthy food
– drinking clean water

After the discussion the children participated in a cool down activity by pretending to pick mangos from a tree, out them in a basket, and eat them.

As you can see from the smiles on the kids’ faces, this activity was a lot of fun. But it also got the kids thinking about some important life lessons.

We’re glad to have partners like Right to Play in our mission to end poverty.

Blogger Seth Diemond is JBFC’s Campus Director.

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This post was written by Mainsprings