JITAMBUE – It’s all about me
Amani Kibera (Kenya)
General overview
The project, which is funded by the Maltese Government through its Official Development Aid budget administered by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, seeks to target students who have exhibited behaviours that put them at risk of dropping out of primary or secondary schooling. Such behaviour includes truancy, drug and substance abuse, poor academic performance, challenges in forming social ties, discipline issues in the schools such as fighting, stealing, chronic noise making and disturbance, among others.
These students will be taken through life-skills education and counselling sessions by trained counsellors, mentors and life skill coaches, which will empower them to embrace new positive behaviours. The project will support children and youths to regain confidence and trust in themselves, mend their ways and focus on positively developing themselves. The children and youths will be offered mentorship using different play, learning and fun activities like drawing, soccer, dance, public speaking training, puppetry and drama. During school holidays, they will be kept busy through the Amani Kibera peace and education sports activities.
The 16 weeks mentorship process will culminate in an exhibition where the students will be able to showcase what they have learnt to their peers, parents, members of the community and other invited guests.
Project time frame: August 2018 to July 2019
Specific objectives
- Identification and nurturing of talents amongst 1,600 pupils and students in primary and secondary / high schools in Kibera.
- Enhanced self-esteem and general self-concept of the participating pupils/students, leading to long-term improved academic and social performance.
- Increased retention rates in the schools vis-à-vis the 2015 baseline: according to data presented by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA – Kenya) in its 2015 report.
- Students and pupils will have been kept busy during school holidays with learning and development activities, so as to avoid engaging in negative vices such as criminal activities, irresponsible sexual behaviour and drug abuse.
- 20 teachers, trained as mentors and life-skill coaches, are empowered to offer continuous support to behaviourally challenged children and youth and support their educational institutions to become places of greater inclusion.
Key activities
The objectives of the project will be achieved through the following activities:
- Training of mentors and life skill coaches;
- Mentorship and Talent Coaching for primary, secondary and high schools;
- Jitambue Day for primary, secondary and high schools;
- Amani Kibera Peace and Education Tournament.
