Something special happened today. Kumari, who has been sponsored for a couple of years, took a big step. She wrote to her sponsor herself for the first time! Using the storyteller’s map and cards she was inspired and gained confidence to work independently (see the story telling cards and maps in action in our facebook album at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/worldvisionuk ) Previously, her community volunteer wrote for her as she spoke. When she finished her letter she read it out to the community members that had gathered, they burst into spontaneous applause. I was unable to capture Kumari’s subsequent smile, but take it from me, it was as bright is this Bangladesh sun…..
Kumari’s letter
This is Kumari’s one room house. She lives with her four other siblings and two parents. Kumari is ten years old.
“Our house is very beautiful. The house is made out of muddy wall and tin sheet on the roof. It has also a verandah and covered with straw and tied with rope. The house is 17 feet long. Inside the house there is a stainless steel box and a bed. Outside the house there are jackfruit trees and mango tree. I like to eat mango. We have three cows and I take care of them. In the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening I feed them. And thus I help my parents. My name is Kumari.”
This whole week has been full of wonderful stories like this, children gaining confidence and finding joy in being able to write and express themselves. At the end of each session we will have feedback from the kids and I was so encouraged when one young man stood up and said “In our exams we have to write essay, I feared writing essay, but now I will fear no more.” The feedback from the teachers was equally wonderful, with one teacher telling me: “The big difference is before the session they couldn’t write for themselves, they could recite from books, but not write for themselves. What they have learnt today has opened their minds to think and write on their own.”
I feel so privileged to be part of World Vision’s work bringing education and hope to children who haven’t had these opportunities before. I just want to leave you with another wonderful snippet one of our students wrote today:
“I love learning new things. I go to school regularly. I study up to seven o’clock pm. I read almost all the subjects, but I read Bangla book more and more, because I like it. Why? Because, in that Bangla book there are many short stories. I love reading stories and it makes my mind and heart well.” Mohammed, 9yrs
Keep your questions coming – it’s been great to hear your thoughts and feedback. Just post below or visit our Facebook page and join the conversations at http://www.facebook.com/#!/worldvisionuk
How interesting the world is! Your experiences in Bangladesh so different from the world here in Sweden where children are wearing their wooly hats against the still bitter wind, untrustworthy of the blue skies and watery sun that heralds in the coming Spring but is as yet still only a promise.
Enjoying the window you’re describing into your very different experiences the other side of this wonderful world!
Keep safe and continue to change lives for the better!
CIR
blessed love
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the children stories. They are talented and inspiring. I enjoyed the fact that they are a close knit community and their dedication to school work is admirable. The questions I would like to ask are: What do they do for recreation/pasttime, Do they have freedom like the children in the western world, to be children and not to take on such responsibilities so early when they should be playing games with their friends. I would very much like to visit Bangladesh to experience their way of life, especially the children, to know their dreams and aspirations. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and the wayof life from the eastern world.
Pam Thompson
Hi Pam, thanks for following the blog. If you get the chance to go to Bangladesh, please do – it’s an amazing place!
I saw many children playing various games in different places and at different times. I have to say that it was so very hot/humid, so most children seemed to play at the end of the day when it was cooler… or in the shade. Boy’s seemed to enjoy playing ball games, in particular cricket (tree stumps, piles of bricks for a wicket), football, climbing trees, swimming.
I saw one game called Dangi, which is where the child digs a small hall in the ground then places a small stick over the hole. He then uses a longer stick as a bat, flicks the small stick in the air and hits it as far as he can. Then using his ‘bat’ he measures how far he has hit it.
I saw girls skipping and playing a game called kitkat. This game is a bit complicated to explain. Basically, 9 boxes are drawn on the ground, the player throws a stone onto one of the boxes and then jumps around all the boxes saying kitkat (so you can’t take a breath), then then jump onto the stone in the box where it landed, kick it out of the 9 box square and have to land on it. The game preceeds and whoever wins the most boxes is triumphant. They also play a version of leapfrog, called Ekka and Dhuka and they recite rhymes as they jump over each other. Girls love to dance and everyone seems to have the ability to sing well.
Children have an opportunity to play in school, and most seemed to play when they got back from school, before doing their jobs such as feeding animals and studying further. From what I could see, the children had freedom to play and there was certainly many other children around to play with.