The brown gate at the entry of the paillote is a direct entrance to a scene of joy and affection. Wherever you look, there is only vitality and energy, as the children and monitors are, colourful walls and an important vegetation.
Wherever you look, there is only vitality and energy, as the children and monitors are, colourful walls and an important vegetation.
Everyday there are about one hundred and fifty smiling faces expecting the monitors in Takh Mao. Children arrive little by little, as some who are living in the neighborhood come by foot, while others arrive with the van that will pick them up in their village. Thus, the children arrive until about 8:30 in the morning. Meanwhile, those who arrived take their showers, eat their breakfast and start to play.
Meditation is very important, not only on spiritual perspective, but also and above all as a relaxation time for children. And, although this camp might be a bit complicated to schedule because of the successive arrivals, everyone can enjoy some time dedicated to meditation every morning after breakfast.
After four weeks of School Continuity Program, the monitors are very proud of how the children’s improvements. When they first met them, it was very difficult for the children to listen to them, take a nap, finish their plates or get involved in any activity. But, thanks to the efforts and perseverance of all, the monitors succeeded in making the general organization with the children, and there has been a clear improvement in these children.
Instead of fighting with them everyday, we explained them why they should eat vegetables and now all the kids tell you ‘Look, I eat vegetables!’ ”, Cris.
And there is more changes. They also explained them the hidden objectives behind what they are asked to do, which also encourages them to get more involved in the activities. It is very important to spend time explaining to children why things are done this way and not that way, why it is important for them to eat some foods and not others… This allows them to start thinking by themselves and to develop a better ability for judgment.
“We did a lot of educational workshops, explaining why we teach them to eat vegetables for instance. Instead of fighting with them everyday, we explained them why they should eat vegetables and now, all the kids tell you ‘Look, I eat vegetables!’ “explains Cris, european coordinator of the project.
Besides, a big place have been given to emotional intelligence-oriented activities this summer, through different games as telling a story when we show them a sad face, a happy one, an angry one… For these exercises et to make the children feeling more comfortable to share, small groups are formed. This way, the come up to share a lot of personal things, including their fears and their dreams.
The monitors always try to save 10 minutes at the end of every game to ask the kids what they thought about it, if they liked it, what they learnt. Also, at the beginning of the program, the monitors created an “feelings table”, where the children have to color a case everyday according to how they felt.
The atmosphere created by the sight of all these small groups surrounded by colourful books where thousands of fantastic stories resides is very pleasant.
“We gave them the opportunity to play, but also to learn a lot, culturally speaking and about themselves. I think they have evolved a lot throughout the camp. In the end, we are here to help the kids and to make them grow up and I think we did it well!”, Jorge, 2nd year european monitor.
Without a doubt, the monitors’ biggest achievement at the end of these four weeks is the regularity with which the children are now reading. Every day, they spend some time reading. Either individually and every one takes a book, especially the oldest, or through the intermediary of a Khmer monitor who read the story to the youngest. Reading became such a habit that, when the schedule of the day doesn’t leave any time for it, the kids themselves ask for it. The atmosphere created by the sight of all these small groups surrounded by colourful books where thousands of fantastic stories resides is very pleasant.
After a morning of relatively quiet activities, there are more dynamic group games that busy the afternoon. Talent show, theatres, parades, treasure hunts whose clues are given during short games…. The happiness brought to children by all these games can be seen on their faces: they never stop smiling. “We have to be full of energy, but I love the way the children give it back to us,” says Tatiana, European monitor for the first time.
In Takh Mao, you can feel the love overflowing from every corner of the center. Its colours and vegetation create a dream atmosphere, perfect for children to grow up having fun and learning. In this small paillote, which still welcomes nearly 200 children a day, there is certainly no shortage of joy, dedication and affection.
