Chance For All in an African Magical Classroom

This month, our kids did something very unique. From Nancy Carpenter’s idea, the members of the Association Chance for all Senegal decided to use a very different way to teach children.

In fact, they organized a kind of excursion to the market to show children another sight of the markets and food sellers. Street children used to get to the market in order to carry ladies’ heavy shopping buckets and get paid. Actually, they never care about what is exactly the market’s role. This time, they went to the market as normal customers, paying for their vegetables, fish and fruits.

It was a very funny experience for them and they learned a lot. The first thing they appreciated was how venders were nice with them. Indeed, many were reducing prices, showing them how to make profit and giving advices in order to stop begging. Also, for vendors, it was the first time to see street children buying, negotiating, instead of begging. Vendors congratulated the local volunteers for this new approach and even didn’t want to get paid for vegetables. At the end, lots of vegetables were offered. For the first time in their life, boys were not seen like marginalized children, but like normal kids. Humanly speaking, it was so memorable for kids, because we noticed how it could strengthen their personality.

They met some peers (street children carrying heavy things) and those kids wanted to visit the centre and participate to that kind of activities.

Furthermore, visiting the market was not only to have fun, it was also a new way to have new vocabulary, learn maths, colours, shapes, currencies and weights.

For this purpose, once back at the Centre, kids were in charge of playing different roles. Split into two separate groups (one representing sellers and other for shoppers). Nevertheless, it was necessary for Old (the centre coordinator) and the other volunteers to remind them the vegetables names, the colours and shapes in French, before starting the new market at Darou. During that acitivity, we realized that children didn’t really know about banknote but were real experts in collecting coins…..What a funny experience….LOL.

 Right after, it was time for shopping, and practicing the words and imitating a real market. They seemed so enthusiastic and played the role with skill.

To be sure to assimilate everything, volunteers were asking questions about a vegetable (for example the carrot’s colour, shape and so on). Before finishing, we had discussion about the relationship between food and health, explaining how fruits and vegetables, meat and fish are good for our body. On the top of that, we gave the food to a lady living in the neighborhood to cook rice and fish (‘Chébou Jeene’, the Senegalese national meal) for kids. Everyone enjoyed that day to the market!!!