Launching Keram Kids Club
In many remote communities across the Keram region of East Sepik Province, access to education is not just limited, it is often completely absent. There are villages with no functioning schools, no trained teachers, and no consistent pathway for children to learn. For many families, this means that children grow up without basic literacy and numeracy skills, and without the opportunity to pursue further education.
Children in Manu used to be able to attend school - the building behind them was one of their classrooms. Sadly, there are no teachers living in the village anymore.
The consequences of this are far-reaching. Without education, children are unable to develop the skills needed to become community leaders, Community Health Workers, or teachers themselves. Opportunities to earn a stable income are limited, and the cycle of disadvantage continues. Perhaps most significantly, communities are left without the local capacity needed to drive their own development and support future generations.
Living Child believe that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully to their community. That’s why, with support and partnership from the local community, we are establishing Keram Kids Club, a small but impactful, grassroots initiative designed to bring education back into the hands of the community.
What is Keram Kids Club?
Keram Kids Club will provide a safe and nurturing environment where kids can engage in age-appropriate educational activities, creative play, health and hygiene education, and relationship-building with trained community volunteers and LC staff. Naomi, Gina and Hannah are very excited to be leading the activities.
Why Are We Doing This?
Our approach to our Health programs has always been rooted in a community-led approach. Rather than imposing an external solution, we work alongside community members, supporting them to lead, facilitate, and take ownership of the program. This not only ensures the program is culturally appropriate and sustainable, but also builds local confidence and capacity.
While Keram Kids Club is small in scale, its vision is much bigger. By demonstrating what is possible at a grassroots level, we hope that this program provides a powerful example of success that can be used to advocate for greater government support and investment in education services in the region.
Keram Kids Club is designed to:
Reinforce key health, hygiene and wellbeing messages that parents are also teaching, in a fun and engaging way.
Provide positive role models through trained community volunteers.
Build children's confidence, social skills and sense of belonging.
Strengthen community bonds by bringing families together around a shared program.