Health Club

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Revision as of 12:47, 24 October 2010

Template:Project HELP Health Club Project Type(s):
Region:	Northern
Country:	Ghana
Volunteer(s) Name:	PCV Davidson
Year of project approval:	2009
Projects started in Ghana 2009 (19).
Beaders' Community Workshop, Business Camp, Computer and Library Access, Computers for Junior High School, Cultural Club, Expansion of Rainwater Harvesting System, Health Club, High School Kitchen, Kindergarten/Nursery School, Know the Facts: HIV/AIDS Film Shows, Kumasi Ventilated-Improved Pit Latrines for Community Schools, Lebali Group Work Structure and Business Training, Men as Partners (MAP), Polytank for a High School, Sex Workers HIV/AIDS Awareness … further results
Other Projects in Ghana (41).
Beaders' Community Workshop, Business Camp, Camp BALL, Capacity-Building Workshop on the Health Benefits of Moringa, Cape Coast Field Trip, Community Rabbit-Rearing Project, Computer and Library Access, Computers for Junior High School, Cultural Club, Daughter to Work Day, Environment Club, Expansion of Rainwater Harvesting System, Fufulso Schools Rainwater Collection System, Ghana Longboat HIV Educational Expedition (GLEE), HIV/AIDS Educational Murals … further results
Other Independent Projects by Volunteers (13).
Don't see your Project, Add yours!

Info about the Health Club

Health Club

Purpose and Approach

The PCV meets bi-weekly with local junior high school (JHS) students to construe, or add practical skills, to the lessons their learn in their School Health Education Program (SHEP). The meetings generally start with a Peace Corps goal 3 activity. This includes teaches the kids American games like Freeze Tag, Red Rover, Duck-Duck-Goose, Heads-Up-Seven-Up, etc.. These activities not only serve as a form of cultural exchange; it also energizes the children so that they may fully participate in the discussion of topics.

The activities that are covered are not limited strictly to health. They can include some of the following ideas:

HIV/AIDS Educational Murals;

Moringa and Casia tree planting;

construction of hand-washing stations at local Primary and JHS schools;

group exercising to promote healthy living;

a community clean-up day for Earth Day;

soak-away pit campaign;

construction of burn barrel stations to reduce litter;

and a sports camp.

Objective

To utilize information the students have already learned in their regular School Health Education Program (SHEP).

Action Plan

Setting up a Health Club is relatively easy depending on your relationship with the school. Make sure the teachers and headmasters are involved (this can sometimes be difficult, but you should keep at it – if you’re the only one doing it, then it will collapse when you leave) with the projects. It also helps build rapport between the students and teachers with the interaction outside the classroom. The kids will almost always be into it, no matter what activity you’re doing. However, try to stir clear of "structured" learning activities. The club is meant to serve as a contrast or alternative to the teaching and learning style of school. Yet, that does not mean that you cannot invoke some knowledge into your activities.

Secondly, be flexible with your schedule. Depending on the sex of the child (i.e. "gender-specific" jobs and chores) and the time of the day or even year, the time of meetings will need to change to curtail a sufficient amount of students.

Budget

Nominal PCV "donations", except for the HIV/AIDS Educational Murals.

PC Resources

Consult the ICE.

Project Reflection and Sustainability

It is beneficial to have small prizes for the students who participate in the activities. These are very simple things like party favors, sunglasses, decks of cards, bouncy balls, paddle balls, yo-yos, balloons, bandanas (BIG hit), crayons and stickers, to name a few. Even school-specific prizes like pens, pencils and notebooks are highly regarded.