Dear Friend: The Power of Love team extends heartfelt thanks for your dedication to keep vulnerable children and families educated about COVID prevention and to provide a safe place for children to learn and play. Your support this year, made it possible for 774 children to attend COVID education workshops and play in a safe environment with their peers. We could not have done this without you.
Our goal is for all families enrolled to learn about disease prevention, stay healthy, and feel connected with the community. Please take a few minutes to watch this short video that shows a teenager leading an educational workshop for younger children.
Sending you and your family a whole lot of love for the holiday season and for 2023.
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Why do Children Participate in this program? Children from different age groups love this program for different reasons. Younger children attend this program for snacks, toys, and opportunities to play with other kids their age. In the words of a young participant, "I learn a lot. I cannot stop coming here, it's a nice and safe place as our child and youth care workers are able to take care of us. We learn about cleanliness and good behavior, so I have learned how to take care of myself. I am learning to read and write so when I start primary school I will be prepared." Older children like Jim, mentor younger children as they want to stay connected with our team. Jim was enrolled in Power of Love’s pediatric HIV care program and “Safe Park” programs. He describes his journey as a member of these programs as “very impactful”. He recently graduated high school, is studying counseling, and plans to be a Nurse.
Need and Beneficiaries: In resource poor neighborhoods, residents do not have access to accurate information regarding COVID, STI’s, treatment for children living with HIV who contract COVID, etc. This has led to uncertainty and the spread of false information.
Impact: With the provision of education on COVID, more families got vaccinated against COVID. And with the provision of malaria bed nets, more families stayed malaria free. The mental and physical health of children improved as they were able to interact and play with other children. In 2022, 774 children benefitted from these workshops (as compared to 728 in 2021), and 200 children received long lasting insecticide treated nets. None of the children who received malaria bed nets contracted malaria.
Our plan is to continue to provide a safe environment for children to play and learn and keep communities informed about COVID, malaria, and HIV prevention. In addition, we will partner with more community organizations so that more families can benefit.
Thank you!
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What is Safe Park? Power of Love’s COVID education/Safe Park program provides a safe place for children to play and learn. Education on COVID, HIV and malaria prevention, and PPE are provided resulting in improved physical and mental health of hundreds of children and their families. Community members are encouraged to get both shots of the COVID vaccine.
Our partners: We are working closely with community organizations such as churches and libraries. For example, church pastors provide space to conduct workshops on COVID education and to paly educational games with children.
Need and Beneficiaries: In resource poor neighborhoods, residents do not have access to accurate information regarding COVID, STI's, treatment for children living with HIV who contract COVID, etc. This has led to uncertainty and the spread of false information. In the first six months of 2022, 660 children and adults benefitted from these workshops (as compared to 728 in 2021), and 200 children received long lasting insecticide treated nets. None of the children who received malaria bed nets contracted malaria.
A testimony: Given below is a testimony from one of the participants:
K (age 16): "I participate in activities at Safe Park where I've received educational activities since I was in grade 4. Thanks to the project I've learned about life skills. I attend Safe Park programs arranged by child and youth care workers. I also take part in entertaining activities like singing, storytelling, dancing, etc. that are educational at the same time. I have never been a rank pupil at school. After I started attending Safe Park, I became one of the promising pupils in my class. However, it is not only me who helped improve my school performance. There are many others such as the child and youth care workers who help us with schoolwork during Safe Park to thank. Now I feel self-confident that I will become a doctor."
Our plan is to continue to provide a safe environment for children to play and learn and keep communities informed about COVID, malaria, and HIV prevention. In addition, we will work with new community organizations so that more families can benefit.
Thank you for providing a safe environment for hundreds of children to learn and play.
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Power of Love’s COVID education/Safe Park program provides a safe place for children to play and learn. Education on COVID, HIV and malaria prevention, PPE, a safe place for children to learn/share are provided resulting in improved physical and mental health of hundreds of children and their families.
Need for SP/COVID workshops: In resource poor neighborhoods, residents do not have access to accurate information regarding COVID, safety of the COVID vaccine, treatment for children living with HIV who contract COVID, etc. This has led to uncertainty and the spread of false information.
Our response: Since last year, our team at the request of several pastors, has been holding workshops for the benefit of their congregations. Education on the COVID vaccine, proper hygiene, and PPE are provided at these meetings. Community members are encouraged to get both shots of the COVID vaccine. In the first three months of 2022, 307 children benefitted from these workshops. In addition, 200 children received long lasting insecticide treated nets so that they can stay safe from malaria. Finally, we are partnering with community libraries so that children can access books from the library with the goal of improving their reading and writing skills.
Our plan is to continue to provide a safe environment for children to play and learn and keep communities informed about COVID, malaria, and HIV prevention. This program activities go a long way in keeping families healthy and children in school.
Thank you!
Links:
Power of Love’s COVID education/Safe Park program provides a safe place for children to play and learn. provision of education on COVID, HIV and malaria prevention, and PPE have resulted in improved physical and mental health of hundreds of children and their families. Last year, several church pastors invited us to conduct program activities in their church premsies so that congregation members could benefit.
Program activities are popular with community members. This is illustrated by a testimony provided by the grandmother of a child who participated in the educational games and COVID workshops. Given below is the testimony by the grandmother:
“From the time my daughter died, my grandson has been sick and not active like the other child hence I was wondering what could be the problem with my grandson? After attending a COVID-19 workshop and hearing about covid-19, HIV and others issues that affect children I came home and got the courage to take the child to the hospital. From the teaching I learnt that it is important to know one’s HIV/AIDS status. I remembered that my late daughter who was the mother of the grandchildren under my care had died of AIDS. I immediately told the health worker to do an HIV test on my grandchild which come out positive. I did not go back home straight I went to Matero care center where they welcomed me very well. I explained to the child and youth care worker and the child was put on the program hence was encouraged to take the other child who seemed to be very fine. I did like I was told the test come out positive too. I am very thankful for the organization for lightening the burden and indeed like they say without knowledge people perish”, she said.
Our plan is to continue to keep communities informed about COVID, and HIV prevention so that families learn about disease prevention, take steps to stay healthy, and children can attend school.
Thank you!
Links:
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