We just returned from the weekend retreat with 14 of the high school students sponsored by the Children of Kibera Foundation. It was a weekend packed with fun activities as well as leadership building and team-building activities. We started off the retreat with “bus buddies,” so on the way to the Word of Life retreat center each student had to discover three interesting things about someone they haven’t met yet. Once we arrived at the site, the students had to introduce their bus buddies to the rest of the group. We then played other various fun and interactive introduction activities. All of the students were laughing and smiling while getting to know each other and breaking the ice. The facilitators, including the other interns Sarah, Karima, Tim, James, and I were all full of energy and enthusiasm. The kids sensed this and responded positively by being interactive, cooperative, and having an open mind.
We also included activities with the purposes of promoting self-awareness, encouraging exploration of personal values, strengthening self-confidence. In order to promote self-awareness, students were given two worksheets to fill out about the activities that bring about certain qualities in them, as well as the people in their lives that inspire them in the areas of achievement, love and belonging, fun, and freedom/independence. We also had a number of small group discussions interspersed throughout the weekend. The purpose of small group discussions is to get personal with the students and have them open up to their peers and the facilitators in a close setting. We asked them questions such as “What are you most proud of?” “What is your biggest fear?” and “Have you ever made a big difference in someone else’s life?” By the end of the weekend, many of our students came to know each other like family.
In order to build self confidence, we instructed the students to put together a skit. The students were divided into two groups of seven. The only guidelines were that everyone had to participate, and the skit had to include some pressures you may face in school.
Students participated in a number or activities that required them to think more in-depth about their future. We had students draw an image on paper in response to the question: If you could change the world, what would it look like? The students then shared their drawings with the group and were asked to reflect on the question, ‘How do you as an individual contribute to this image that you have envisioned on your paper?’ Sunday morning we also had the students fill out a survey of their interests and skills, which then matched them up with possible corresponding career areas. Afterwards, we had a goal-writing activity where students made goals as well as the steps they would take to achieve those goals in the six areas of education, career, health, personal development, community/social responsibility, and leadership opportunities.
Saturday afternoon we took a one-hour break where some students went on an outdoor hike and some students played soccer. Saturday night after presenting the skits, everyone all sat around the campfire, singing, dancing, and playing charades.
Other activities included a presentation educating the students on HIV/AIDS, which the students found very helpful. Two interns from the organization Zana Africa were also hired to lead a two-hour empowerment session, discussing with the students in two small groups about peer-pressure and how negative habits grow and develop.
Overall, I believe the retreat was a tremendous success. I felt as though all of the students were engaged in the activities, and they all discovered something new about themselves and their peers over the course of the weekend. All of the facilitators did an amazing job in running the planned activities and connecting with the students to make the weekend constructive and inspirational.
The students also explored their personal values in the activity called ‘Take a Stand.’ One of the facilitators would say a statement on an issue and have them step forward if they agree and step backwards if they disagree. The two sides would then face each other and students from both sides would express their opinions. Some examples of statements include: “Protecting the environment gets in the way of economic development” and “The death penalty is a just and fair punishment for a murderer.”
Students participated in a number or activities that required them to think more in-depth about their future. We had students draw an image on paper in response to the question: If you could change the world, what would it look like? The students then shared their drawings with the group and were asked to reflect on the question, ‘How do you as an individual contribute to this image that you have envisioned on your paper?’ Sunday morning we also had the students fill out a survey of their interests and skills, which then matched them up with possible corresponding career areas. Afterwards, we had a goal-writing activity where students made goals as well as the steps they would take to achieve those goals in the six areas of education, career, health, personal development, community/social responsibility, and leadership opportunities.Saturday afternoon we took a one-hour break where some students went on an outdoor hike and some students played soccer. Saturday night after presenting the skits, everyone all sat around the campfire, singing, dancing, and playing charades.
Other activities included a presentation educating the students on HIV/AIDS, which the students found very helpful. Two interns from the organization Zana Africa were also hired to lead a two-hour empowerment session, discussing with the students in two small groups about peer-pressure and how negative habits grow and develop.
Overall, I believe the retreat was a tremendous success. I felt as though all of the students were engaged in the activities, and they all discovered something new about themselves and their peers over the course of the weekend. All of the facilitators did an amazing job in running the planned activities and connecting with the students to make the weekend constructive and inspirational.
Thank you so much Tamara for your leadership on this first retreat for the CoKF scholars. I have so many positive things from the retreat, it will definitely be something we want to do again to empower the students as they work on their personal and professional development. Asante sana, your work makes a true difference! Ken Okoth
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