I feel like I'm settling in well at ImagiNation Afrika. A great group of people work there and I've really enjoyed starting to get to know them! The organization just ended their summer session summer camps, and for the past several weeks, they’ve been closed in order to transition to the fall trimester. Each trimester has a theme; this one is all about transportation.
I’ve been helping where I can during the transition, painting big posters of cars and trucks and trying to think of ideas for new play area designs for the kids. I’ve been working mostly on creating a “message house” for the organization, which is basically a clear way of stating three key messages to go along with a blanket statement, which are then supported by evidence. The blanket statement in this case is “play is the best way for children to learn”. I’ve been doing a lot of research into how play affects brain development and learning, and the three key points I come up with will then be incorporated into brochures and pamphlets for donors to learn more about the organization.
One challenge that has arisen is that since my class schedule only allows for me to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 1pm, I most often won’t be there when the kids are there since they’ll all be in school at those times. I’m planning on fixing this by coming in on the weekends whenever I can, so I can see all sides of the organization - getting more of a hands-on experience as opposed to just learning about the administrative side.
This is a great organization that I think can really make a difference for children. As I become more and more a member of the team, I hope I will be able to make an important impact too. We’ll see how things go when ImagiNation Afrika reopens next week!