THE PLAN:
We are going back with the goal of helping physically disabled children at Chileshe Chepela Special Needs School with a week-long learning event.
We will be holding a teacher training for all the teachers focusing on utilizing physical therapy materials and equipment they have, fine motor skills, and artistic and creative ways to include physical therapy in the classroom. On the final day, students and teachers will come together and paint a mural at the school with everything we got; from the fine motor skills development to the hand prints of the children. It will be a chance to bring art to these children, something that they rarely get.
Every penny you donate is going to the project you’ve read about! We’re not a big organization, just a small group of volunteers who have budgeted to put your donations to good use. Everything from flights, training supplies, facilitation, paint, accommodation and teachers’ meals during the 4-day workshop has been accounted for. Our supplies will be purchased in Zambia to support the local economy. Every dollar collected is one step closer to making this workshop a reality and helps improve the minds and bodies of Zambian students.
THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY:
Chileshe Chepela Special School is situated just outside of Kasama and is home to over 600 physically disabled and hearing-impaired students. Children grades 1-12 come from all over Zambia to live and learn at this school because it is designed to fit their specific needs. In a developing country, where education is not strongly valued, it’s rare to find a school whose teachers are dedicated to educating children with special needs, a marginalized and often forgotten community of rural Zambia. Student to teacher ratios are small, to give more individualized attention, and lessons are adapted to meet the needs of each unique learner.
THE TRAINING:
Our 4-day workshop will be facilitated by Kasama District’s Physical therapist, Richard Siwila.
Day 1-Mr. Siwila will be training the teachers on how to do physical therapy stretching routines for students with different kinds of physical impairments. Teachers will learn simple, easy and creative methods to incorporate in the classroom.
Day 2- Teachers will enjoy learning how to use the previously donated physio-equipment Currently it is seldom used because of lack of know-how.
Day 3-We will delve into fine-motor skill building, which will benefit students in developing their minds and bodies.
Day 4- Our final day will wrap up the training with a creative, fun, and lasting message. Teachers and students will work together on a school mural, allowing practical application of the theories learned and a beautiful message to the community about the importance of educating students with special needs.
INCENTIVES:
Before and after our project takes place, we will be creating incentives from local Zambian fabrics called chitenge. Chitenge fabric is cotton, usually printed with bright and bold African designs and worn by all village women either as an apron or fitted nicely as a "chitenge suit." We all fell in love with them and are sure you will too!
To our supporters who donate over $350, we will send a ceramic tile and paint so that you may put your hand-print on the tile and mail it back to us. (all postage is on us) We will take the tiles with us to be added onto the completed project. The mural will display the children's hand-prints and of those around the world who participate in this project!
Any donation –we give you a shout out on facebook our facebook page because we think you are AWESOME
$10- Hand-made chitenge postcard mailed from Africa and signed by the team
$30- Printed Photo from the project and chitenge card
$50- Hand-made ipod/iphone chitenge slip cover
$100- A lovely hand-made chitenge tote bag.
$200- Name painted on the mural and 2 printed photos from the event
$350- Personalized ceramic tile on the mural and 2 prints from the event
$500- Personalized ceramic tile on the mural, 2 prints from the event, and chitenge tote!!!
$1000 Personalized ceramic tile, 2 prints from the event, and anything you want CHITENGEFIED!
**Please email us your paypal confirmation number, how much you donated, and your mailing address so we can send you your incentives to stevie.greenwell@gmail.com**
THE MURAL:
The creation of the mural will do three things:
1.Encourage students to practice their fine motor skills in engaging ways.
2. Excite teachers about the new PT techniques learned and their creatively charged curriculum.
3. Inspire and educate local and global communities.
Special needs children in Zambia are often hidden away, seen as different, and are not physically touched enough. The mural will express a human connection that runs deeper than appearances and aims to make the children feel that they can touch and be touched by people across the globe. Covering the school walls, the mural will be on public display to educate, entertain, and inspire community members.
OUR STORY:
Ellyn Lambeck, Stevie Greenwell and Ashley Buchalter met in the winter of 2009 as Peace Corps volunteers of Zambia. We trained for three months together, learning cultural practices and etiquette, local languages and general village know-how. After one month, it was clear that our mutual affections for one another would out last our service.
For two years we lived a rural life-style in our respective villages in different parts of the country. Ellyn started an HIV awareness club. Stevie organized a province-wide girl empower camp and peer education program. Ashley helped to build a village library. Every chance we could we would meet up, headed to see one of Zambia's beautiful waterfalls or national parks. We would share stories, citing achievements and challenges, helping each other find creative solutions.
In the end, we knew that our experience left us with the ability to continue working in Zambia, at an intimate level many other organizations could not. From this realization, Paint the Movement was born.
Every Dollar Really Does Make a Difference...
Sancho! Asante Sana! Natotella Mukwai! Thank You!
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