Altaf’s Days at Makani: “Learning and Playing Together”

When 11-year-old Altaf talks about the Makani Centre, her face lights up. “I love the Makani Centre so much,” she says with a big smile. “It teaches us and gives us fun activities that we can learn from. It’s one of my favorite places to be.”

Altaf lives with her parents and younger brother and is now in grade six. She has been attending the Makani Centre since grade three, a place that, she says, has helped her grow both academically and personally. 

“At school, sometimes I don’t understand a subject the first time,” she explains. “But with the learning support I get here, at the Makani centre, I understand it better. The facilitators make learning fun, they even turn lessons into games.”

One of Altaf’s favorite activities is the X-O activity. “It’s like the game of X-O,” she says. “We compete by answering questions, and when we get the answer right, we put our X or O on the board. It’s so much fun that we don’t even feel like we’re studying.”

But what makes Makani truly special for Altaf goes beyond Arabic and mathematics lessons. “They also teach us about life, like what bullying is, why we shouldn’t bully others, and how to be kind,” she says thoughtfully.

Altaf knows the importance of these lessons from experience. “I was bullied once in school,” she recalls. “They made fun of my name and my hair. At first, I was really sad and lost some of my confidence.” 

The support she received from the Makani Centre and her mother helped her rebuild it. 
“Here, they taught me how to believe in myself again,” she says. “I learned that I shouldn’t lose confidence just because someone says something mean. Now I feel stronger.”

The Makani Centre has become a safe space for Altaf, a place where she can express herself freely, learn, and feel proud of her progress. “When the facilitator asks for someone to read in front of the class, I always raise my hand,” she says proudly. “Sometimes she calls us the young teachers when we help with activities. It makes me feel smart and helpful.” 

Beyond the classroom, Altaf also enjoys photography, painting, and drawing, creative hobbies that let her express her imagination. But her biggest dream is clear. “When I grow up, I want to be a dentist,” she says with confidence. “I was inspired by my mom’s dentist. My mom once had a toothache, which gave her a lot of pain, but the doctor made her pain go away. I want to do the same, I want to help people feel better.”

“Makani taught me that I can be confident, kind, and helpful,” she says with a bright smile. “And that’s something I’ll always carry with me.”