Guerra en Malí

enero 10, 2013

In our intervention area in Segou, Educo established a program aimed at integrating displaced children in our program schools and providing them with psychological, educational and health support. Some 800 children attended special classes to make up for the school time they lost so that they could rejoin the education system. These classes also helped them forge friendships with local children and gain the confidence they needed to begin the academic course in October. It also helped them boost their mood and slowly overcome the trauma they had lived through.
 
“When we got here, the children were traumatized—a mother explains—but they received a great deal of help at the school and this made it easier for them to integrate with the other children. This helped them feel more relaced. My son went to make-up classes before beginning the school course and this was good for him because it relaxed him mentally. The courses have been of great benefit, which I can see in the progress he is making”.

The special care received by the displaced children was combined with the provision of materials and improvements in the schools. For example, fifteen new classrooms were built and another six were renovated, thus making it possible for the schools to attend to the newly-incorporated students. Training was also provided to teachers to help them deal with the especially vulnerable children. Because of these efforts, the displaced children integrated into the education system and improved their school performance.