12 April 2008
Why it was needed
This project was aimed at children who have not captured their heritage mentally, it was needed so that they will not be totally reliant on westernised social and cultural practices, but instead feel pride at their own rich history and unique way of life.
What's being done
The class is set up for children/teenagers who want to learn the native language and culture found specifically in East Africa called Oromo. There are alot of activities besides teaching that the kids will learn such as songs, art and craft and also games that are common to the Oromo culture.
How it started
The idea of the Qubee (it means alphabet by the way!) class was lingering in my mind for about a year but I had no way of implementing it. I saw an advert on the Kingston univeristy website about junction49 and decided to put my idea up, and with the help of kingston university, I managed to get funding so this scheme was able to get off the ground. I already had plans set in place such as venue, material etc, before I spoke to Kingston university about it, so when push came to shove, I already knew what I had to do to make this project a success.
More
This project was VERY rewarding, I loved working with the kids and the way that they embraced their culture captured my heart. My overall aim for this project was to make sure that these kids remember who they are and where they came from, and even though the project only ran 8 weeks, it really did inspire not only me but all those involved to remember WHO we are and WHERE we came from and making sure that our heritage does not end with us but continues to flow to the next generation.
IF ANYBODY KNOWS ANY OTHER WAYS I COULD FUND THIS PROJECT BUT OVER A LONGER PERIOD, BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE IT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.. JUST LEAVE A COMMENT!! THANK YOU!!