Maid Strong: Stop Trafficking of Adolescent Girls

We had a great graduation ceremony, during which the children displayed dances to entertain the audiences while students are giving certificates. We had presentation of gifts to the graduands. See pictures of the graduation activities. We also held a folktale competition during the week of graduation activities. N5,000.00 was given to the first position; N4,00.00 to the sending and N3,000.00 to the third position. The children and their parents were greatly thrilled by this revival of the old folk art in among the young people.

As one parent wrote:

       “ Ma, I lack words enough in appreciation for your innovative initiations because I’m just looking forward at the future of it all.”

Another parent wrote:

I am overwhelmed with happiness for the outcome this folktale exercise. It is still a surprise to me. I shall keep folktales light on to the best of my efforts.”

Another parent wrote:

“Wow thank you so much for everything. Your time and for your being thoughtful and inspired to bring our minds to folktales once told by our parents.”

We started our Village Square Project in which we gathered young people to tell and listen to folktales. Folktales, Proverbs, legends, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes, as part of a verbal folk art that has given durability to our understanding of the world, have played a major role in maintaining a basic framework for the generations of people who have used them as common philosophical guides from childhood to old age. Most Nigerian youths no longer have access to this art. With emphasis on passing exams, the average Nigerian youngster has little or no time to learn from other ethnic groups and be actually educated about the country and its culturally diverse people. Also, technology, social media, and the struggle to put food on the table have made it difficult for parents to tell these tales to your children at night after dinner as parents did in the past. Hence, we have established a virtual folktale village square.

The traditional idea of a village square as a place where youths and adults gather to exchange and create knowledge is recreated in this virtual village environment, using digital and electronic devices. Youths participate in this knowledge creation but not at a mandatory time as had been the practice in the traditional village square setting in the past, but at their own leisure time dictated by their commitments and in their homes or at the Centre or its satellite posts. This gives them the flexibility demanded by the exigencies of the 21st century’s fast, multi-tasking environment and does not encroach on their study or work time. They do not miss out because they cannot be at a village square physically at a particular time, as stories will be posted on the square for young people to listen to at their leisure. Right now, the stories collected are in our YouTube Content, designated Private. The link will be provided in this report.

Links:

• Academic Activities
• Folktale Session 1
• Graduation Ceremony