Oasis Tadjourah has had a full and busy season. More and more children from around the neighbourhood find their way into the centre to read the books and play games. The kitchen set is especially well-loved so if a new person visits, it’s highly likely they will be offered an assortment of food and drink including tea, coffee, pizza and a selection of other treats. Even the occasional parent visits, dragged along by excited kids, eager to play and share their new favourite place.
Thanks to a selection of books in the local language, some of the local workers in Oasis have been practicing reading Afar. This beautiful language is not taught in the local schools so it is an honour to help preserve Afar culture and history. Afar is a language of poetry and proverbs, that are best read in the local language. Sometimes, one of the local workers even reads the books aloud to the children in the library. If you can speak the language, it’s easy to learn to read; it just takes some adjusting for the letters that do not have the same sounds as in French.
The library is popular even with the older kids. While not many can come during the mornings due to class, some schools have begun to have ‘field trips’ to the centre. On multiple occasions with different local schools, the teacher and class of students have come to read and spend some time at Oasis. Most of the students, aged 11-14, are in Collège (in the French system) which is equivalent to Middle School in the American system and Secondary School in the British system. The children-sized chairs are rather small for adults but everyone quickly settles in to read or play with the different toys. Having a safe place to play and explore can bring out the child in anyone.
Another way Oasis has been supporting the local schools is through an informal English homework help group. On Saturday mornings for the last 1½ months, a small group of students aged 8-13, have gathered to practice English. As they do not always have homework to finish, the session has branched into different kinds of games and activities as an alternative form of practicing. One favourite is singing, “Heads, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” A fun song that gets the kids moving and helps use up some of their extra energy so they can focus. It also helps them practice different body parts and proper pronunciations of the words through song. With a little creativity, the kids have fun while practicing their language skills.
As the weather gets warmer, the centre will be to be a cooler and fun place to spend time, reading books or playing games.
Kerith Trust 