“What we are doing here benefits us, as we are learning and it also benefits the children.” — Souad, Little Ripples Education Director in camp Goz Amer, eastern Chad reflecting on traveling to camp Mile and assisting in launching Little Ripples with another refugee community.
Souad is one of six experienced Little Ripples staff members—including Little Ripples program coordinators, education directors, teachers, and cooks— who traveled for two days from refugee camp Goz Amer to join us in the process of implementing Little Ripples in refugee camps Mile and Kounoungou. During our first day all together in camp Mile we needed to identify and select the three refugee homes that would host the Little Ripples in-home centers (Ponds). So far, this day has been my favorite of this trip because it was a perfect demonstration of our refugee-led model—and it felt so good to see it in action!
As we walked camp Mile, visiting potential homes, weighing the pros and cons of each, our experienced Little Ripples refugee staff confidently asserted their opinions and concerns as we all debated the safety of each space, the proximity to water points, the shade from the sun, and the space for children to play. I witnessed a group of leaders who not too long ago were quietly sitting in a Little Ripples Teacher Training in camp Goz Amer, too shy to speak. Now here they were, leading the expansion of Little Ripples in a completely different setting and community as I happily took a back seat.
Here is a photo of Little Ripples cook, Fatima, from camp Goz Amer speaking one-on-one with Amna, the mother and head of household of a home we all agreed was a great space for a Little Ripples Pond. Fatima is sharing information about the Little Ripples meal program and what Amna can expect in her new role as a host and a cook.
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