Overcoming Barriers Project

The overcoming barriers project seeks to address the challenge of inadequate education and skills training among orphans and vulnerable children. It is based on trying to empower the individual by enhancing skills and competencies’ that allow them to access quality education. Our approach involves learning/education through themed camps.

The themed camps are based on specific topics or themes which are a part of our beneficiaries’ daily lives and their curriculum in the formal education system.  The teaching approach used for these camps is highly interactive, based on individual learning experiences and experiential learning. It is for this reason we involve a wide array of games, sports, art, music, dance, experience, and exploration in all of our sessions.

The Overcoming barriers project will be implemented intermittently over the course of 36 months, during school holiday months in April, August and December every year 2024-2026.   The following are the names of the camps to be implemented during this course i.e. Information Technology; Plant Germination; Water Conservation; Living Organisms; Food literacy; Earth and Climate; Landforms and Geography; Arts and Culture.

Health camp 

The health camp is to be implemented starting from 19 August – 30 August 2024.  It will be the first camp that we start with, in the implementation of the Overcoming barriers project.  This camp will lay a foundation where we ensure our beneficiarieshave enhanced knowledge and skills in maintaining good physical and mental health. The project will be carried out with orphans and vulnerable children between ages 8-12.

The following activities will be covered during the camp 

1. Activity 1: Creating a safe environment; the aim is to create a safe environment where the children are free to express themselves without fear or judgment. 

2. Activity 2: Personal Hygiene; the aim is to develop or enhance or beneficiaries knowledge and skills which prevent illness, promote self-care skills; foster responsibility and good habits   so as to improve  their health and wellbeing.

3. Activity 3: Dental hygiene; the aim is to provide knowledge on tooth and gum health.

4. Activity 4: Abuse & Support systems; the aim is to ensure beneficiaries can identify abuse and are able to report or identify support systems from where they can seek help when they experience such trauma. 

5. Activity 5: Mental health; the aim is to ensure that children understand the importance of mental health and enhancing their skills/knowledge in developing positive coping mechanisms when faced with trauma. 

6. Activities 6-10: First aid training; the aim is to provide basic first aid knowledge and skills, which can enable our beneficiaries to become emergency responders in their day to day lives.

What we are requesting for

One of the main activities to be carried out in the Health camp isthe junior first aid training which will be carried out for 5 daysfrom 26 – 30 August 2024.  The junior first aid training will be facilitated by Red Cross Zimbabwe, to ensure the delivery of reliable and accurate information to our beneficiaries. The training will cover the following topics; 

1. First aid principles i.e. importance of first aid; hygienic practices in first aid; what to do in emergency situations

2. Handling of common injuries i.e. minor cuts, burns/scalds; nosebleeds; bumps and bruises; sprains and strains. 

3. Life saving i.e. basic CPR; recovery position; dealing with unconscious and unresponsive people. 

4. Incidents i.e. insect bites/stings; head injuries; allergic reactions; asthmatic attacks; minor fractures 

The first aid training is an essential component of the health camp because it prepares the beneficiaries to respond in emergency situations that might occur during the implementation of the other camps in the Overcoming Barriers project. The knowledge the beneficiaries gain can also be useful in their daily lives as it might save lives, theirs included. 

The cost of this training is US$10 per child and we have 20 beneficiaries in our class. We are kindly requesting for funds amounting to USD$ 200.00 which we can use to pay for this training. We have attached the quotation for this training.

What the beneficiaries gain from the Health Camp? 

• Acquiring knowledge through personal experiences in the absence of a strict teacher student setup.

• Beneficiaries will develop friendship and networks.

• They will gain knowledge and skills in different topics in health. 

• Beneficiaries will gain knowledge through fun and interactive learning experiences which include art, dance, crafts, sports, and music.

• Freedom to speak out whatever comes to their mind without fear of punishment or judgement. 

• Access to an environment or space where their individual opinions matter.

• Psychosocial support activities to promote good mental health and coping mechanisms for those experiencing trauma/adversity.

• Co-curricular activities in the form of  clubs, story-telling, role play/drama, sports, art, and outdoor play

• Learning opportunities adapted to meet individual needs and ensure success in gaining of knowledge.

• Beneficiaries will be able to set their own learning objectives within every activity.

Measurable outputs of implementing the Health Camp?

• 80% of beneficiaries have successfully completed health themed camp. 

• 70% of beneficiaries have improved coping mechanisms for trauma situations.

• 70% of beneficiaries have knowledge and skills to carry out emergency first aid.

• 70% of beneficiaries have improved communication skills.

• 70% of beneficiaries have improved knowledge on stopping the spread of communicable diseases.

• 70% of beneficiaries have improved knowledge on health and are taking steps to ensure good health for themselves and those surrounding them. 

• 70% of beneficiaries have improved motor and cognitive skills. 

• 80% of beneficiaries who have completed the camp are aware it is a safe environment and are eager to come back for the other camps