“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
This year, we have seen the incredible strength of the human spirit. In a season of weariness, hope has been our greatest anchor. As we move towards the end of the year, we are earnestly waiting for the Covid-19 pandemic to be over too.
Dear readers, we hope that you are safe and healthy. How is your family too? How has the pandemic affected you? Are things moving on gradually now? For us at Bramble, we resumed back learning activities in Arikanki village on July 1. This Newsletter contains a summary of all our activities since then.
Safety in the times of Covid-19 Pandemic
Knowing that we have a responsibility to keep our children and the learning community safe, we got all the recommended safety materials for Covid-19. Our team members resumed a few days before general resumption; we had safety training and went to individual houses of the learners to sensitize them and distribute some of the materials ahead.
Tyre Seat Workshop
On the 11th of August, 2020 we hosted a Tyreseat workshop with Jumoke Olowookere and her team. Jumoke Olowookere is an Environmentalist and Waste Entrepreneur with over ten years of actively educating communities to take responsibility for the waste they generated. She is the founder of African creative Hub. Click here to read more
Bramble Accelerated Learning Program (BALP)
On the 7th of August, we started a new program called Bramble Accelerated Learning Program. This is a skill-based program targeted at teenagers, youth, women, and other members of the community. We currently run weekend training in Digital skills, Mathematics, and Literacy.
LEAP Youth Day of Service
Along with other youth-led organizations across West Africa, Bramble hosted youth from Akinyele LGA in one-day training on how to use SCRATCH, a block-based programming language for beginners.
Selection of New learners
We are so excited to let you know that we have increased in number. Between July and August, we conducted a selection process for a new batch of learners. We currently have 24 children learning fully at Bramble Learning Space.
Bramble in the media:
- Challenges offer chances, Alternative learning in rural Nigeria: kanthari Corona blog
- Bramble- A change from the Grassroots: Eridan Group
- Bramble becomes a member of the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education For All: http://csacefaoyostate.org/bramble-network/#.X3b9mmhKjIU
Some of Our Plans for the fourth Quarter of 2020
- My voice, our equal future: We are hosting an event to celebrate International Day of the Girl Child. We will be welcoming girls and young women from all the villages around us. You can support us by donating sanitary towels, soap bars and other hygiene materials.
- Official Launch of Classroom building and Toilet facility: Would you like to join us virtually? We can send you a link when it’s time.
- Our first Virtual Exposure trip: Every quarter of the year, we organize an exposure trip for our learners. The main purpose is for them to develop an understanding of the world around them. Since we can’t make physical trips due to the pandemic, we would be going virtually. We can now go anywhere in the world! Would you like to show us your community or anything you think we would find interesting? Kindly send an email at brmblelearningspace@gmail.com.
- Children-led Community project: Our learners are planning to give-back to the community. We will be doing a road repair.
- Christmas in a Box: Extending kind gesture to other children who doesn’t have as much as we do. Our learners will be making packs of whatever good stuff they can afford, from farm produce to toiletries. You can donate any of the good stuff you have to share too.
- End of the Year Event: This is a fun event when we host parents, community members and supporters. We invite you to join physically or virtually.
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We are aware that it has been a bit difficult to have adequate cashflow in these times. That is why we are so much grateful for all the support we have received this year. We are super grateful to Bloom & Give, kanthari, Eridan group and all the individuals whose support has kept this work going. Therefore, on behalf of all our children and the Bramble Team, we say a very big thank you. Do help share this newsletter among your network of friends and associates.
If you wish to support the work of Bramble, please make donations at
Bramble Learning Space 1016277035, Zenith Bank
www.facebook.com/bramblenetwork