Last Friday, April 18, at the center of the Arc-en-Ciel Association in Libreville, the Education Department held a training session focused on techniques to encourage children’s participation in educational activities.
This center has as its mission the protection of children in vulnerable situations and, with this objective in mind, develops various activities of a multidisciplinary nature. It has a team of 28 people, including several of our sisters. However, despite the commitment and effort of the team, sometimes some children do not participate in the proposed activities.
During the training, participants discovered that lack of participation is not always due to lack of desire, but may be due to distrust of the people in the environment or experiences that have generated fear, causing them not to perceive the activity as something reassuring. Therefore, the role of professionals is to create a space of trust and affection; a peaceful atmosphere that motivates and attracts children.
A total of 18 people participated in this training, including the sisters and the center’s staff. The main message conveyed was that children should not be forced to participate, but should be accompanied with patience and respect, allowing them to get involved at their own pace .
Sr. Odette Makola, ccv
