Category: Africa 2012

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UNICEF Publication: Child-Friendly Schools, Stories from Mozambique

New page in the projects section:

August-October 2012

 

As part of my 5 month assignment for UNICEF Mozambique, I travelled to the field to photograph and write stories related to our activities within the Child-Friendly Schools initiative. The final product was a bilingual 40 page booklet that was published and disseminated internationally. Click above for the pdf.

Under the aegis of Schools for Africa, the Child-Friendly Schools initiative in Mozambique promotes the rights of children and aims to improve the quality of primary education through a set of multi-sectoral interventions. It reinforces the goals of the Government of Mozambique’s Five-Year Plan (2010-2014) to realize an integrated and cross-cutting approach to basic education.
This includes child-centred teaching approaches, life skills education, physical education and sport, the provision of water and separate sanitation facilities for girls and boys, construction of classrooms, immunization and health screening, mechanisms for the prevention of violence and abuse, and initiatives to reach orphaned and vulnerable children. The programme also empowers children to voice their opinions, and uses various forms of media in the social mobilization of communities in order to promote the rights of every child—especially girls.
This booklet presents inspiring stories about Mozambique’s Child-Friendly Schools and the difference they are making in the lives of the poorest children. These stories, from two districts, are representative of experiences from all seven districts engaged in the initiative —Changara in Tete province, Chibuto in Gaza, Buzi in Sofala, Mossurize in Manica, Maganja da Costa in Zambezia, Angoche in Nampula and Montepuez in Cabo Delgado.

© United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) October 2012
Permission is required to reproduce any part of this publication.

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Back

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And just as infallibly as always, it cured everything. The sad face, the sore throat, the melancholy, the boredom and the uncertainty. There is nothing in the world that can compare to the wonders that dancing does to me, my body and my mood. I’m back on track again.

The painting above is from Núcleo de Arte here in Maputo, the Sunday hangout venue where art meets live music, grilled food, expats, rastas, dancers, painters and – unfortunately I don’t know the name of the artist.

(The sore throat might also have been cured by a wonder-spray that I got from a friend and sprayed onto my non-existent tonsils a couple of times. And the bottle of wine we shared the same day while painting our nails and talking about girly stuff.)

Caroline Bach1 Comment

Diagnosis

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It’s raining pretty badly in Maputo this weekend, and I’m still not 100% back on my feet. What about giving me a diagnosis, my dear super smart friends?

For more than a week now, I have had:
1. A sore and slightly swollen throat, in the place where my right tonsil would have been, had it not been removed.
2. A bitter taste in the back of my mouth.
3. A body temperature below 36 degrees.
4. A slow/sad mood.

I had strep almost monthly when I was a kid, usually without fever. This is the reason to why my tonsils were removed seven years ago – and I have basically not had infections in the throat since then.

I have some serious trust issues here in Maputo after hearing horror stories about the healthcare and after trying it myself.. basically, it costs a fortune, takes forever, and the doctors tell you nothing new. And ooh – if you insist, you get medicine that might have been banned in Europe many years ago.

Anyway, If there’s something that really upsets me it’s doctors that write prescriptions for strong antibiotics without being sure about the diagnosis. Oh, and a random detail: when selling pills here, they take the exact amount out of the box in the pharmacy – so you really have to beg to get the pamphlet that is supposed to accompany the pills.

Anyway, I will see if I can indulge in ginger/lemon/honey tea to treat this, hoping that it’s not streptococcis. And if it doesn’t get any better soon I might go for another study visit to a Maputo clinic. You’re joining, right?

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b2b vs. transparency

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I guess that excellent colleagues pep-talking me via Skype while others send me love via Whatsapp is really reason enough to shake those irrationally blue feelings off and get back to business.

…anyhow – it’s already Friday.

Damn it, I’m so transparent that I don’t even need to say anything before people start telling me that I “look different” today, that there is something missing – “Where is all that positive energy of yours? We need it!”.

Is it really that obvious that I’m having a bad day? Maybe I need a crash course in faking “feeling great” because I really don’t know how to.

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Blue

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This might have been today’s highlight:
Lunch in a sunny park surprised by a blue headed beauty. I was reminded I’m in Africa, despite the Italian ravioli alla napoletana on my plate.
Motivation and awesomeness levels are worryingly low right now, I think I need a hug and a dancefloor.

Caroline Bach2 Comments

Never say never

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Downloaded one of my favourite animated movies and just watched it together with Ava. An American Tail by Don Bluth and Steven Spielberg from 1986 is about the mouse family “Mousekewitz” who emigrates from Russia to the United States. While on the boat, the little boy-mouse Fievel gets lost and while his family thinks he has drowned, he must find a way to reunite with his family again.

I cried a little, it’s such a great movie – and now Ava finally knows my “Never say never” song that has been omnipresent in my head for all these years. :)

Here´s us watching my favourite scene when the two siblings are in different parts of New York, believing that they will reunite, singing the same song. It’s in Swedish, as I know it.

And here´s the “Never say Never” song, from the original version:

So, never say never.. again!

Caroline Bach5 Comments

Telas com cor

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Paintings by the two lovely sisters, Nelsa and Nelly Jacob Guambe, are currently on display at the Centro Cultural Franco Moçambicano in Maputo. I had the pleasure of having a look at the works today while enjoying a great lunch at the venue. Couscous, salad, herbs, healthy stuff – I have been looking for a place like this for months!

The exhibition, entitled “Telas com cor” and also accompanied by the interesting works of João Vicente, will be on display at CCFM until October 20th, so in case you live in Maputo and feel like a fresh lunch while enjoying the art of the beautiful sisters with many talents – this is your chance!