Jardim de Deus (Garden of God) preschool
Children learning in our bamboo/mud preschool building
Our community didn’t have a local preschool. As a result, young children were often unprepared to begin primary school.
We began short teaching sessions in a small thatch gazebo, then moved to a bamboo and mud building, but right before Covid happened, we completed two block classrooms! Currently, Garden of God preschool is functioning in two locations, with a total of 250 community children enrolled. The preschool is divided by ages into 6 classes and each class is staffed by 2 preschool teachers, one man and one woman.
Our students are eager to learn. Although they face many challenges, such as inadequate shelter, food, and chronic illness such as malaria, their zeal for life is contagious.
In addition to learning basic things, such as the alphabet and to read and write, they are taught social skills and play is modeled and encouraged.
We also serve a nutritious meal every day. For many of our kids, this is often the only meal of substance that they will get for the day.
Each year, we have a celebration for each child who graduates and each child receives a graduation certificate. Additionally, we provide a letter of recommendation for each child to the community primary school.
Parent of a preschooler.
How has Jardim de Deus changed this mom and her child?
Preschoolers at meal time
Preschoolers being taught to use a tippy tap