PRESCHOOLS HELP FIGHT THE RAVAGES OF AIDS
Children in Mozambique’s Gaza Province live in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the world. The area has been hit hard by HIV and many of the children are orphans, having lost one or both parents to AIDS. High poverty levels, compounded by the overwhelming number of adult deaths, have left many young children without the care they need to develop to their full potential. Many 3- to 5-year-olds already show signs of delayed cognitive and behavioral development.
One year ago, thousands of orphans and vulnerable children in 42 communities in southern Gaza got a chance to go to preschool and start turning their lives around. A new Save the Children initiative, funded by donations from American Idol viewers, opened 96 preschools offering children a safe place to play, learn and prepare themselves to do well in school.
The preschools have well-trained teachers who are sensitive to the special needs of children affected by HIV and AIDS. The teachers ask the children questions, laugh with them and encourage the children to share their ideas and be heard. Many children who had become withdrawn or aggressive after losing a loved one have started to open up again.
“Many children here drop out in first grade because they are not prepared for school,” said Damião Mungoi, education program coordinator for Save the Children in Mozambique. “These children live in rural and remote villages where they speak dozens of local languages. When entering first grade, they are overwhelmed and confused because they don’t know Portuguese, the national language used in schools. But now, by attending preschool, these children will be ready for first grade.”
