Young-artist-inside revealed in Aswan’s family clubs

UNICEF-supported family clubs offer children the chance to express themselves and gain life skills through art

Dalia Younis
Young-artist-inside revealed in Aswan’s family clubs
UNICEF/Egypt 2018/Dalia Younis
22 May 2018

Through UNICEF-supported Family Centers and Family Clubs established within Primary Healthcare Units (PHUs), children and their families can access critical health and child protection services as well as a range of child protection activities, including art classes, storytelling, handicrafts, sports, theatre and choir. There are also age-appropriate programs offering recreational activities for children under 5 years of age, while adolescents up to 19 years can enjoy life skills programs, including computer classes and English lessons.

In 2017, the first year of implementation, the number of children, adolescents and youth participating in the clubs’ activities across Egypt was 32,147.

Young-artist-inside revealed in Aswan’s family clubs
UNICEF/Egypt 2018/Dalia Younis
“They come to us as grownups, we reveal the children inside them”, said Basma, one of the facilitators at Maktab Sehha Awal’s PHU family club in Aswan to UNICEF Egypt team. Most of the children who live around this PHU are involved in child labor because of their families’ financial conditions. For many, Family Clubs offer the only recreation available.
Young-artist-inside revealed in Aswan’s family clubs
UNICEF/Egypt 2018/Dalia Younis
“When we asked them to draw for the first time, they kept copying from each other”, said Heba, one of the facilitators at Khoor Awada PHU’s Family Club in Aswan. “It took us some time to convince them that each one should have his or her own taste, view and decision”.

                                                                   

Young-artist-inside revealed in Aswan’s family clubs
UNICEF/Egypt 2018/Dalia Younis
“After we introduced the concept of ‘recycling’ for the first time to the kids, they made this out of old Ramadan decorations” Hagar, one of the facilitators at El-Shallal PHU’s family club in Aswan.
Young-artist-inside revealed in Aswan’s family clubs
UNICEF/Egypt 2018/Dalia Younis
“We never visited the pyramids before, but we love them so much that we made this maquette for them” Two young boys enrolled in Maktab Sehha Awal PHU’s Family Club in Aswan.