The existence of poor conditions cannot afford the handicapped children the opportunity to enter a bus by wheelchair, nor move around freely since there are no pavements. Problems to attend schools or work equally became a threat to these vulnerable children.
The home consists of children and young adults with cerebral problems and some with impair speech and disability. The project accommodated both highly mentally and physically disabled youths of all ages (smaller children to almost 40-year-olds). As the name indicates, they are not able to move around and spend time on their beds. They are beeing fed, cared and washed by few staff.
There are boys’ and girls’ hostels, for the more self-dependent ones. They are splited into those for mentally challenged (like Down-Syndrome, Authism) and those for only-physically challenged (e.g. Spinal Bifida), who use wheelchairs.
There is also a canteen, an assembly, a physio-therapy room, a vocational centere (here, they are trained in skills like beading, cooking, painting, computer, hair-styling and producing shoes and furniture) and a school, which is also attended by external pupils. In the school, there are classes of different levels of difficulty and one equivalent to Primary School. Now this Home and School are run under governmental governance and belongs to a widespread network of such institutions around Lagos. The NGO efforts is to temporarily complement the existing workforce in the home.
W: Work and tasks of the volunteer:The volunteer can chose his or her area of work, since there are many fields on which a volunteer’s help is needed. Volunteers are expected to provide the following services for the challenged and vulnerable children:
•auxiliary training in special areas related to their own social works
•assistance in moving physically challenged children around
•distribution of food and other materials
•organizing entertainment, cultural events and games
•courses of foreign languages, etc.)
•Helping the teachers in the school, e.g. paying special attention to one of the pupils or helping during breakfast break in feeding
•Helping the physio-therapist in treatments under his guidance, but also massaging and doing minor exercises with the people on his/her own
•Being active in the vocational centre, like bringing in new ideas, doing computer training etc.
•Helping the staff in the bed-ridden station with feeding during the meals, but also entertaining the people who spent days in their beds, like singing, caressing, taking them out (using a wheelchair)
•Entertaining the people by activities, such as dancing, singing, playing football or other games
•Associating with the people, also those who are not mentally challanged, to motivate them, help them learn simple tasks to make them more independant, take them for outings and help them find a way into social life
S: Social Inclusion and Child Rights projects. The aim of the project is mainly to reform and create lovely and learning environment for the children in spite of their pathetic situation. It is also hoped that their neglected conditions is improved upon and to prevent the violation of Child rights. The volunteers will appreciate everyday life, habits and culture of these children through practical and social help they will provide within the period.
A: In host family accessible to the project centre.
L: English
Q: Qualifications required: Volunteers should have good organisation, creativity and interest to work with kids. Be friendly and create a warm surrounding for the people who experience so much animosity in their lives; not to have a high reservation to disabled people; be creative and spontaneous in arranging activities and entertainments, as well as in daily tasks; be emotionally strong and ready to deal with unexpected situations; bring in good values, be passionate and act responsibly; to adapt and enjoy simple conditions of living such as food and accommodation; try to respect and understand other cultures
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