Internship program 2022 – 2023

Amader Shishu~Our Children

Venue: Chota Bhabanipur (Khajuria), Kachua, Chandpur
Organized by

Institute of Wellbeing Bangladesh organized the program at the Khajuria village in Chandpur. The program have some specific purposes. Mainly the interns get a unique experience to work with village children, and Share their knowledge, experiences and wisdoms. Moreover, they learn how to work with kids. Main protagonist of our children program are the village children. Through the program children learn creativity and value of nature. Besides that children get some life related lessons.

First ever Children Enrichment Program held on December 17 to December 31, 2022. Around 30 children took-part in the program and 9 intern from three different countries (Afghanistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh) were present. The children are from the local school called Khajuria Government Primary School. Majority of the participant were girl child, they were studying at standard three, four and five and their age level was 8 to 11.

Our children’s training method was very responsive and flexible. At first, Institute of Wellbeing Bangladesh trained the interns (trainers) then trainers introduced themselves with the children. After that trainers asked to children what they like and what they wanted to learn. According to their will, Trainers prepare the training module. After that, children divided into different groups. Each group known by a specific name of local fruits and vegetable. There were three groups, such as Joba, Tomato and Khejur. Everyday children spent one and half hour with interns where they learn singing, dancing, crafting, painting, origami, reciting, storytelling, role play, making things with clay, handicrafts like bracelet making, hygiene, social manner and how we should behave with people with disabilities. In addition to that, children learn positive sites of a village life, and negative sites of an urban life.

After 14 days activities, Institute of Wellbeing Bangladesh organized a talent show where children showcased their learning through group and individual performances and the display of the children’s creative art, craft, and others. Villagers, children’s guardian, school teachers and many other dignitaries were present in the talent show.

After that, we had another batch of the similar type of the Children Enrichment Program held on January 2 to January 14, 2023. Around 32 children took-part in the program and 7 interns from two different countries (East Timor and Bangladesh) were present. This time also, majority of the participant were girl child, studying in same standard and same age like the first batch. We followed the similar procedure of the training and creative learning method as like as the first program. Also, we had the similar talent show like before.

Even though, through the program we achieved a big success but the pathway was not at all easy. We faced lots of challenges. First of all, the area was very cold and staying at night on that area was quite unbearable for the interns as they were not habituated for the environment. Then, some of the community members were not that supportive, even some of the guardian took their children during the session despite their children’s interest to attend the session. After that, sometimes we got some of the very little children, they were sleeping during the session, so we played different traditional games to make them active that took lots of time as a result they became late to reach their home and their parents do not allow them to come. We talked with the school authority and parents to overcome the problem.

Moreover, the most challenging part was to deal with the disabled child. The issue was very sensitive, we got a child, she is physically disabled and she was corned by everybody in the school and home and she even lost her interest to talk with anyone. We gave her extra care and attention that’s what she needed. We talked with her mother, and make her understand about her problem, as her mother has no education, so she were not aware of her daughter’s problem. Finally, we took the challenge and bring back her to the normal life that she deserved. The other kids from the school also became more supportive, be friends with her to play, study and others involvement with her.

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