Global Village Voice

From their website:

“In response to the earthquake, my daughters, Riva and Caitlin, and I have developed a reading out loud program in Creole for Haiti’s displaced children…Read, Read! We like it because it has a musical sound such as La la la! and is fun and easy to remember…To provide an engaging, interactive, and fun hour long activity for children displaced by the earthquake that will also encourage literacy, create a model for parents to read to their children, reinforce Creole, contribute to job creation, and be part of much needed efforts to address the trauma and anxiety children are suffering since the earthquake.

These anxieties continue to be compounded by fears of additional severe aftershocks or earthquakes, the continuing death toll amongst those who have survived, and the uncertainties of finding loved ones who survived. And, countless children are suffering and struggling with the pains of injuries, physical trauma, rehabilitation, and post earthquake illnesses. Story time hours help children release tension, find some new joy and give them some colorful and engaging images and stories that they can use at night when trying to go to sleep — despite their difficult sleeping conditions, physical pain, anxieties and sadness. We translated colorful, engaging and fun storybooks into Creole and use puppets and dolls to animate the stories as well. Our trained readers (animateurs) are dispatched in teams of two each for storytelling hour at various tent camps (or “sheet camps”), hospitals, and other transitional settings.”

To read more about the work Riva and her family are doing please visit their website: http://www.lililiread.blogspot.com/

The group welcomes donations of money, books, puppets, stuffed animals, etc.

Posted under Activism, Current Events, Education, Life Stories, Students and Alumni