Welcome to the Jim Jam Nursery School

Project Proposal for vulnerable/at risk children

Introduction

Children occupies a very unique and privileged position in the society and that for the full harmonious development of their personality, the child should grow up in a family environment and in an atmosphere of happiness, love, guidance and understanding. From a child’s physical and mental development, they require care in regard to physical, mental, moral and social development. However, there have been an increase in the number of children exposed from the risk and danger of environment of crime and violence in many cities in Africa, including the city of Arusha in Tanzania, due to lack of their parent supervision. The neglected children lack early child care and development eventually they end up being street children.

The main factors attributing to the increase in street children is poverty. In fighting poverty, many mothers are looking for income and sustenance to support themselves. The situation becomes complicated when they have kids. As a result, nursing mothers go to the markets with their children on their backs. Consequently, children growing up in this environment lack the supervision of their parents thus neglected because parents have to make money to survive. In addition, the neglected children do not join schools instead, they will be engaged in dangerous and illegal activities such as drug, crime, theft and gang activities. Finally, many of them will undertake economic activities such as parking, car washing, vendors, beggars, street performer, scavengers, buskers etc. The existence of these children is uncontrolled, they will become street children and eventually girls will get pregnant in very young age, and they create a generation of poor people again.

This project aiming at protecting the most vulnerable children from the risk and danger of environment of crime and violence through provision of early child care education and development to children of 1 to 5 years. The project also aims in improving the working condition of the mothers through engagement in a variety of productive activities to improve their economy as a result, the families will be able to pay better attention if their lives are better economically.

Problem Statement

Despite of the efforts to improve the lives of the children, social indicators continue to show a decline in social and economic welfare of children, the major factor being poverty and lack of education. In a competitive environment and complicated poverty situation, parents are forced to earn livelihood to survive thus leave their children unattended in the market place or at their home. As a result, children growing up in this environment are exposed to the risk and dangerous environment of crime and violence due to lack of their parent supervision. The children who lack parents’ supervision do not join schools instead, they will be engaged in dangerous and illegal activities such as drug, crime, theft and gang activities. Finally, many of them will undertake economic activities such as parking, car washing, vendors, beggars, street performer, scavengers, buskers etc. To adjust to this cycle of poverty, the main purpose of this project is to give the vulnerable children opportunities to grow like other children. The project aims to provide child care and development trainings to the uncontrolled children thus rescuing them from being street and homeless children. Targets of this project are vulnerable children exposed to the market in the age of 1-5 years old. Thus JimJam day care and pre-primary school will be extended to serve this purpose.

Project Description

The JimJam day care and pre-primary school will work with the Ministry of Community development, gender, elders and children to identify vulnerable children in the local market places of Arusha that includes Kilombero, Soko kuu, Samunge etc.

The School will be able to enroll maximum of 150 kids at any given point of time. Originally, the project will start with renting a house, install the equipment necessary such as play facilities, security, toilets, energy and water supply etc. Initially, the center will base its' operations in Arusha, a suburb of Sakina?? The facility will originally consist of a 1,600 sq. m. house in a quiet, residential neighborhood. The yard will be fully fenced in, to ensure no one can either come in or wander away. The yard will be furnished with safe, entertaining toys, as well as a sandbox. The house will be used for rainy-day activities and the serving and preparation of meals. The house will also contain toys, games, and books for the entertainment of the children.

Upon completion of the 5 years in pre-school the center will establish a primary school to accommodate the children. The facility will require a minimum space of 2 to 3 acres, where classrooms, administration block, playing grounds and other necessary facilities will be built.

Once the funds are secured will be applied to construct a permanent model center that will comprise several buildings such as build 3 to 6 classrooms, toilets, mothers training workshop, fence, administrative office, plastic chairs and tables, pots, swings, carpet, beds, books, any other teaching materials, cooking and eating equipment, other necessary facilities. The JimJam JimJam day care and pre-primary school will have all the basic learning tools to enable the kids to develop their basic motor skill and for higher age their basic reading skills. Maximize working mothers’ productivity: The school location being inside the campus will be a factor towards ensuring this objective. The center will be open from morning 8.30 am to evening 6.30 pm from Monday to Friday