SDG: 16, 4
Number of Beneficiaries: 8 children
The Pandemic has disproportionately affected the education of children worldwide. Whilst some children were able to cope with the virtual classroom setting, others with limited resources were not afforded the same privilege. One particular vulnerable group is children living in Children Homes. These children now had to face limited social interaction since visitation to these homes became restricted and planned activities to enrich their well-being became scarce. As restrictions began to be lifted in Trinidad, members of SISF approached the Mother’s Union Children Home in San Fernando to host a reading by local children’s book author Miss Jeunanne Alkins and conduct a conflict resolution session with the children at the home. The House Mother agreed once all Covid-19 protocols were adhered to.
The date chosen to host the reading commemorated World Book and Copyright Day 2022. The local author Miss Alkins had an animated reading from her book The Most Magnificent which focuses on a conflict between 7 historic buildings in Trinidad and who was the most magnificent. The book served as a history lesson to the children as well as introduced them to how to resolve conflicts peacefully.
The reading was followed by a conflict resolution session by Ms Crystal Rahaman of SISF in which the children were given visual aids to help identify their feelings and examples of difficult scenarios to work through with the aim that they would be equipped with the necessary life skills to promote and co-exist in a peaceful way. The children were also gifted with story books, stationery and art supplies and encouraged to create stories and books of their own. We ended of the day with fruit cups and juices for the kids whilst a basket of fruit was donated to the Home for the children to have as part of their meals.
