Grand Openings

Yesterday we had our Annual Partnership Review meeting, which is a standard part of VSO placements, providing an opportunity to review the working relationship with project partners and plan for the year ahead. The VSO Education Programme Manager came up from Bangkok, and we met with the local ministry education chiefs and the directors of the four centres that we work with.

The meeting was formal, which is something that I am getting used to. It was very useful, though, to have everyone together in one room to discuss the project. We got some positive feedback about the support we have given so far, and the meeting finished with the education chiefs and directors from each area working together to draw up suggested activities for the remainder of the project under the main objective headings.

That has given us a really good basis for moving forward with some of the more challenging project areas, such as involving families and the local community, and working to improve access to education for migrant children who are not currently in school.

Opening speech by local Ministry of Interior Official

 

As part of the project, VSO has given financial support to three of the centres to improve their outdoor play facilities for the children. After the meeting, we went to one of the centres for the official opening of their improved playground. The equipment, which was in a badly deteriorated state, has all been mended and repainted, which means the children are able to use the playground again.

This morning we did another grand opening at another of the centres. Their playground has been transformed from an un-usable patch of land, completely overgrown with vegetation and home to a family of chickens, to a covered area, that will provide shelter from sun and rain, so that the children can play outside all year round. (Though I suppose technically we have evicted the chickens...)

Before:

 

 After:

Parents arrive for the opening

Local Ministry of Interior Chief gives opening speech

Presentation of thank you gift to VSO

 

 

Obligatory group photo!

 

 Work is still going on at the third centre, but should be finished soon:

 

Now we just need to make sure that outdoor play becomes a regular feature of the daily routine, which it has not been up until now.

 

 We stayed on at this last centre for the rest of the morning, as it is their week on our rota. We introduced water play for the first time - just three children around  a large bowl with a selection of plastic containers. As at the other centres where we have introduced water play, the children were all eager to have a go and would have played for hours if they could! We need to work with the teachers to help them understand how to support children's play without interfering.

 

 

A crowd of fascinated onlookers soon gathered. It took some determination to enforce the
"Only three at a time" rule!

And finally, the best moment of the day. After lunch, they all get their little beds out and go to sleep. Once they are sleeping, that is the time we can talk to the teachers about the morning and plan together for the next day.

 

Sweet dreams!