RABAT
Children
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Preparing
We have been researching and reading as much as we can to familiarize ourselves with Morocco before we get there. We have been trying to learn the language, but really most of the time we end up "chit chattin" about how excited we are to get there.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Explanation of Placement for Laura
Lala Meryem Center for Abandoned Children
General Information about the Partner Organization
The objective of this center is the social, health, psychological and educational care of the abandoned children, the neediest and those in a precarious situation.
The center hosts approximately 170 orphans or abandoned children, of that 25 of them are handicapped. The abandoned children need the support of psychiatrists and psychologists. The integration of a child into the center often requires long months of patience.
The children until they are two years of age live in what they call ‘nests’ of which there are five. When they reach the age of two, they are put in “houses” in which about 17 children of the same age live together like brothers and sisters. In each nest or house, two or three wet-nurses take turns. A specialized nurse prepares the feeding-bottles which are numbered because some babies need specific milk.
Some volunteers come regularly to the center to feed the children or to play with them. The babies stick to all those who come to visit. They are in real need of affection and tenderness of which they were cruelly deprived in the past.
In addition, the slow procedure of adoption is one of the major problems of the center. The adoptive parents can have any nationality but must be Muslim. To adopt a child, it is necessary to be very patient. Some children suffer in the process of adoption because they created bonds with their perspective parents. But because of lack of patience, the people ended up giving up.
Let us note, also, that within the center, there is a building for disabled children. These children have their own refectory, a classroom and showers adapted to their handicap and are able to benefit from physiotherapy.
Specific duties of the volunteers:
· To take care of the children
· To feed the babies
· To plan games, recreational and educational activities for children
· To assist the nurses and baby sitters
General Information about the Partner Organization
The objective of this center is the social, health, psychological and educational care of the abandoned children, the neediest and those in a precarious situation.
The center hosts approximately 170 orphans or abandoned children, of that 25 of them are handicapped. The abandoned children need the support of psychiatrists and psychologists. The integration of a child into the center often requires long months of patience.
The children until they are two years of age live in what they call ‘nests’ of which there are five. When they reach the age of two, they are put in “houses” in which about 17 children of the same age live together like brothers and sisters. In each nest or house, two or three wet-nurses take turns. A specialized nurse prepares the feeding-bottles which are numbered because some babies need specific milk.
Some volunteers come regularly to the center to feed the children or to play with them. The babies stick to all those who come to visit. They are in real need of affection and tenderness of which they were cruelly deprived in the past.
In addition, the slow procedure of adoption is one of the major problems of the center. The adoptive parents can have any nationality but must be Muslim. To adopt a child, it is necessary to be very patient. Some children suffer in the process of adoption because they created bonds with their perspective parents. But because of lack of patience, the people ended up giving up.
Let us note, also, that within the center, there is a building for disabled children. These children have their own refectory, a classroom and showers adapted to their handicap and are able to benefit from physiotherapy.
Specific duties of the volunteers:
· To take care of the children
· To feed the babies
· To plan games, recreational and educational activities for children
· To assist the nurses and baby sitters
Explanation of Placement for Kirsten
Protection of Moroccan Family Association
General Information about the Partner Organization
“The Protection of the Moroccan family” association is a national, cultural and social association, created in 1963 and has obtained the status of a public benefit organization by the Moroccan government in 1984.
The objectives of the association are:
1 To protect the family and its members
2 To protect the mothers and the children
3 To create a school for parents
4 To participate in development projects
Their main activities are:
1 Round tables, lectures, meetings about families issues
2 Literacy and hygiene classes for women
3 Explaining and discussing the Family Code
4 Making women permanently aware of their determining role within society contributing to their basic education
5 Sewing and embroidery workshops
6 Cooking classes and table etiquette
7 Computer classes
8 Organizing exhibitions for the beneficiaries crafts
Specific duties of the volunteers:
1 To teach English lessons and computer lessons
2 To plan games, recreational and educational activities for children.
(Always coordinate the activities for the children with a teacher or a staff from the association beforehand, so that they do not interfere with what it’s already planned).
3 To assist arts and crafts classes when needed
4 To teach cooking lessons
5 To teach music
Desirable attributes:
1 Initiative and creativity to transmit the educational contents to the women and the children when you are asked to take care of them
2 Desire of overcoming difficulties when working in a different language or in different settings
3 Ability to act reciprocally with love towards the children
4 Respect
5 Sense of humor
6 Productivity
General Information about the Partner Organization
“The Protection of the Moroccan family” association is a national, cultural and social association, created in 1963 and has obtained the status of a public benefit organization by the Moroccan government in 1984.
The objectives of the association are:
1 To protect the family and its members
2 To protect the mothers and the children
3 To create a school for parents
4 To participate in development projects
Their main activities are:
1 Round tables, lectures, meetings about families issues
2 Literacy and hygiene classes for women
3 Explaining and discussing the Family Code
4 Making women permanently aware of their determining role within society contributing to their basic education
5 Sewing and embroidery workshops
6 Cooking classes and table etiquette
7 Computer classes
8 Organizing exhibitions for the beneficiaries crafts
Specific duties of the volunteers:
1 To teach English lessons and computer lessons
2 To plan games, recreational and educational activities for children.
(Always coordinate the activities for the children with a teacher or a staff from the association beforehand, so that they do not interfere with what it’s already planned).
3 To assist arts and crafts classes when needed
4 To teach cooking lessons
5 To teach music
Desirable attributes:
1 Initiative and creativity to transmit the educational contents to the women and the children when you are asked to take care of them
2 Desire of overcoming difficulties when working in a different language or in different settings
3 Ability to act reciprocally with love towards the children
4 Respect
5 Sense of humor
6 Productivity
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
I posted the emails we received today from our program manager. We are both so excited to be working with children and hopefully being able to influence their learning and creativitly in a positive manner. Although we are not placed in the exact same placement I beleive we will still be working closely together in the community. I am so excited, I cant wait to get there!!!!!
-Kirsten
-Kirsten
OUR PLACEMENTS
Hi Kirsten!
I hope you are doing well. Our staff in Morocco is working hard to get ready for your arrival. They are very excited to be welcome you to Rabat! I am attaching a description of your work assignment working with children and the information in this email will help you prepare yourself for your assignment at the Family Protection Association, which is a grassroots school for pre-school aged kids. You will be working with Hannah at this placement.
It is important to mentally prepare, and to begin thinking of activities you might want to do at your placement. While we recommend that you come with a few ideas in mind, it is even more important to realize that things may be different than you expect at your placement. Being open and flexible will be your best tools in having a meaningful experience in Morocco.
While Cross-Cultural Solutions provides the opportunity for you to work side-by-side within the Moroccan community, your experience largely depends on your positive attitude and taking initiative and being proactive at your work assignment. Being friendly, open and ready for a challenge is the first step to a very successful experience, as many of our partners have not had much experience with international volunteers. Here are some tips about preparing for your work assignment in Morocco.
CARING FOR CHILDREN
Working with infants and children can be very challenging. The reality of your placement is that you are present to offer support whether you are working in a foster care/orphanage setting, orphanage, day care or hospital setting. The first thing to remember is that the children at your placement are in need of love, attention, appreciation, fun, and the opportunity to learn and be valued. Many times the children have had some very tough life experiences, and your role is to provide friendship, love and care. Though the physical needs of the children are usually attended to, most of the time, the caregivers do not have the time to give love and attention to the kids because of the amount of children they have to care for.
Hi Laura!
I hope you are doing well. Our staff in Morocco is working hard to get ready for your arrival. They are very excited to be welcome you to Rabat! I am attaching a description of your work assignment working with children and the information in this email will help you prepare yourself for your assignment at the orphanage. You'll be working with Brenda at the orphanage.
It is important to mentally prepare, and to begin thinking of activities you might want to do at your placement. While we recommend that you come with a few ideas in mind, it is even more important to realize that things may be different than you expect at your placement. Being open and flexible will be your best tools in having a meaningful experience in Morocco.While Cross-Cultural Solutions provides the opportunity for you to work side-by-side within the Moroccan community, your experience largely depends on your positive attitude and taking initiative and being proactive at your work assignment. Being friendly, open and ready for a challenge is the first step to a very successful experience, as many of our partners have not had much experience with international volunteers. Here are some tips about preparing for your work assignment in Morocco.
CARING FOR CHILDREN
Working with infants and children can be very challenging. The reality of your placement is that you are present to offer support whether you are working in a foster care/orphanage setting, orphanage, day care or hospital setting. The first thing to remember is that the children at your placement are in need of love, attention, appreciation, fun, and the opportunity to learn and be valued. Many times the children have had some very tough life experiences, and your role is to provide friendship, love and care. Though the physical needs of the children are usually attended to, most of the time, the caregivers do not have the time to give love and attention to the kids because of the amount of children they have to care for
I hope you are doing well. Our staff in Morocco is working hard to get ready for your arrival. They are very excited to be welcome you to Rabat! I am attaching a description of your work assignment working with children and the information in this email will help you prepare yourself for your assignment at the Family Protection Association, which is a grassroots school for pre-school aged kids. You will be working with Hannah at this placement.
It is important to mentally prepare, and to begin thinking of activities you might want to do at your placement. While we recommend that you come with a few ideas in mind, it is even more important to realize that things may be different than you expect at your placement. Being open and flexible will be your best tools in having a meaningful experience in Morocco.
While Cross-Cultural Solutions provides the opportunity for you to work side-by-side within the Moroccan community, your experience largely depends on your positive attitude and taking initiative and being proactive at your work assignment. Being friendly, open and ready for a challenge is the first step to a very successful experience, as many of our partners have not had much experience with international volunteers. Here are some tips about preparing for your work assignment in Morocco.
CARING FOR CHILDREN
Working with infants and children can be very challenging. The reality of your placement is that you are present to offer support whether you are working in a foster care/orphanage setting, orphanage, day care or hospital setting. The first thing to remember is that the children at your placement are in need of love, attention, appreciation, fun, and the opportunity to learn and be valued. Many times the children have had some very tough life experiences, and your role is to provide friendship, love and care. Though the physical needs of the children are usually attended to, most of the time, the caregivers do not have the time to give love and attention to the kids because of the amount of children they have to care for.
Hi Laura!
I hope you are doing well. Our staff in Morocco is working hard to get ready for your arrival. They are very excited to be welcome you to Rabat! I am attaching a description of your work assignment working with children and the information in this email will help you prepare yourself for your assignment at the orphanage. You'll be working with Brenda at the orphanage.
It is important to mentally prepare, and to begin thinking of activities you might want to do at your placement. While we recommend that you come with a few ideas in mind, it is even more important to realize that things may be different than you expect at your placement. Being open and flexible will be your best tools in having a meaningful experience in Morocco.While Cross-Cultural Solutions provides the opportunity for you to work side-by-side within the Moroccan community, your experience largely depends on your positive attitude and taking initiative and being proactive at your work assignment. Being friendly, open and ready for a challenge is the first step to a very successful experience, as many of our partners have not had much experience with international volunteers. Here are some tips about preparing for your work assignment in Morocco.
CARING FOR CHILDREN
Working with infants and children can be very challenging. The reality of your placement is that you are present to offer support whether you are working in a foster care/orphanage setting, orphanage, day care or hospital setting. The first thing to remember is that the children at your placement are in need of love, attention, appreciation, fun, and the opportunity to learn and be valued. Many times the children have had some very tough life experiences, and your role is to provide friendship, love and care. Though the physical needs of the children are usually attended to, most of the time, the caregivers do not have the time to give love and attention to the kids because of the amount of children they have to care for
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