Hooray! Today was the culminating event for the Be Safe! Program that Sara and I have been working diligently on for the past few months. The Guyana ed Cross Be Safe! Program is a personal safety program for children ages 5-9. It consists of 12 lessons and teaches children about body ownership, what is safe and unsafe touching, and how to say no to and tell someone they trust about unsafe touching. The lessons use interactive teaching methods such as puppetry and story telling and it is so wonderful that Sara and I wanted to bring it into our community in Linden. Here's what we have been up to:
We coordinated with the Guyana Red Cross (GRC) and our Regional Health Office to fund a two day training on January 20th and 21st. Two master trainers came into Linden to train 18 nurses and teachers. It was very fun and educational. In the past what the GRC does is train people up to this point and give them the materials to conduct the program but they do not have the resources to follow up with the newly trained persons, so that is where Sara and I stepped in.
Sara and I then monitored the facilitators by visiting all 9 of the classrooms and seeing the program in action. We coordinated 2 check-in meetings for the participants to discuss challenges and successes. Then we planned today's graduation ceremony!
We got a venue and snacks (the two most important things in any Guyanese function) donated by the Region. We arranged a program with an opening prayer (another necessity in any Guyanese event), guest speakers from the GRC, a skit by some of the participants, a song and poem performed by the students in one of the participating nursery schools (which was SO cute it stole the show!) and the presentation of certificates.
Almost all our facilitators were able to attend, we had special invitee from the Region and Peace Corps, the GRC coordinator (with whom we had only ever spoken to over the phone and via email in the past) was there. AND we managed to get NCN, the local television station, to come cover the event! I was so proud of all the hard work that went into this event.
Our facilitators did an amazing job presenting these difficult topics to the children and I know that they are making a difference in the community! The Region and the GRC pitched in so much support and made a huge contribute to make the whole project a super success! Check out the pictures of the training, work in the classrooms and the graduation ceremony from today:
Sara and Chelsea with our friend Trusty!
Me and the Guyana Red Cross Folks at the graduation
Getting certificates
Students perform a song about private parts
The GRC coordinator gives a thankful speech
Sara loves the kiddos
Nurse Paul and Wilson, the One Mile Health Centre nurses all decked out at graduation
The nurses deliver the session in the classroom
Sara and I set up the room for graduation and had a moment to chill before the event
Teachers delivering the sessions to students
The kids really love Trusty
Hugs for Trusty!!! YAY!
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