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After living and working 20 years abroad Abou Camara (musician/technician) and his Dutch wife (re)migrated to Abou's fatherland Mali. Together with Malian volunteers they started NGO Miriyawalé. Miriyawalé is a social cultural organization. The main target group are children and youngsters in difficult circumstances; 0 up to 30 years. Miriyawalé opened 01-09-2008 a youth activity centre in Sikasso Mali. Now ½ a year later hundreds of children visit the centre every day and there are more than 40 volunteers. (Here you can see pictures of the youth centre) Miriyawalé also organizes social cultural activities in town and in the region. The youth centre is open every day.
What Are Life Skills? Life skills are the fundamental building blocks for young people to realize their potential at home, at school, and in their communities. Life skills programs provide a means of achieving important youth development outcomes, such as improved performance in school, increased literacy, finding and maintaining employment, and active citizenship. Below are those life skills. Creative thinking - The ability to develop original ideas and/or innovative solutions Critical thinking - The ability to evaluate information and situations and question what is generally accepted Decision-making / Problem-solving - The ability to gather information and assess options in order to make informed choices Self-confidence - The quality necessary to believe in one's abilities, accept one's weaknesses, and respect one's own background Communication and interpersonal skills - The ability to express oneself effectively, to understand others, and to respond appropriately to different people in different situations Conflict management - The ability to look for a common solution in a sensible, fair, and efficient manner and to embrace different perspectives Cooperation / Teamwork - The ability to work collectively to achieve a common goal and to compromise when needed Managing one's emotions - The ability to deal with one's feelings and to express them in a responsible manner (also referred to as "emotional literacy") Contribution (civic values) - The ability to look beyond yourself and to effect change in the larger community Empathy - The ability to identify with another's feelings, needs, and situation and to express that understanding to them Respect - The ability to accept another's opinion or values, and appreciate others Responsibility - The ability to set and achieve goals and to be accountable for one's actions |
