As the new school year kicked off this month, CRP also started a new semester for our very popular After-School Club (ASC). At ASC, kids experience a variety of activities ranging from physical to educational to artistic.
“I’ve seen how this program helps kids break out of their shell, giving them a canvas on which to draw their personalities. I’ve seen kids take leadership roles, be helpers, or just be very quiet and cooperative throughout the program in the previous semesters. I wish I had had similar opportunities growing up in Iraq,” says Salem, one of our volunteers, who is a refugee himself.
Expanding our after-school program allowed us to add a few activities to help kids gain some skills and give them the chance to prepare for their futures. It also increases our capacity to reach more kids.
“We added activities that are more interactive like dancing, art, English, gymnastics. We wanted to give these school kids an opportunity to practice different hobbies that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to do anywhere else. We gathered volunteers who possess specific skills and are able to teach kids and help them explore what they like and what their interests are,” said Karam, CRP’s Educational Specialist.”
“I love coming to dance class it’s something I can’t learn anywhere else,” says Majeda, a Syrian girl who attended ASC in the spring and returned for the fall semester.
“It is a chance for the kids to blow off some steam and let energy out. It helps them socialize and make friends, and it’s by far my favorite program at CRP. It’s also a good opportunity for our volunteers from the refugee community to help others and socialize,” says Sara, Youth Program Coordinator at CRP.
“I love coming to the CRP for the After-School Club because there a lot of activities for fun and learning” says Majeda’s brother Sami, who also attends ASC.
The ASC provides a different form of education than the standard curricula that kids learn in school. It is based on extracurricular activities such as a dance class taught by Salem, who has been volunteering with the kids at CRP for the past six months, and an art class taught by Nadera who has experience teaching a similar art class for kids in refugee camps in Jordan. ASC also receives visits from other groups, such as a Jordanian NGO called Capoeira Al Shababi, which teaches kids the Brazilian martial arts, Capoeira.
Help us keep up fun activities at ASC so that kids can learn, play, and make friends in a positive, safe, environment. Donate here.