Monday 29 October 2018

Kids lifted with Poetry WoChiPoDa-2018



In the middle A poet from Poetry255 during WoChiPoDa 2018
inside 'Ujasiri Hostel in Muhimbili Hosp DSM' the kids are
patients living at the hospital.
Photo by Liyen Alex @photo_matics -Instagram
He quickly moves close to you not wary of strangers, his big ebony eyes invite a warm smile from your lips. He is meeting the world gaily expecting favour from adults present. As he continues to edge closer you squat down meet his gaze. say hello, welcoming a chat with this warm three year old you just met.

Footprints of various poets wafted to the Ujasiri hostel inside the Muhimbili National Hospital grounds in Dar es Salaam, on a warm Saturday morning. So as to celebrate WoChiPoDa-World Children’s Poetry Day.

The three year old above named Kisa is among various children housed at this hostel; who are afflicted with Cancer and undergoing treatment to free them of the disease. Yet Kisa like many of his mates’ present, show little signs in their demeanour in being any different from other healthy kids.  
Kids in Munich earlier this month celebrate
poetry hosted by Diana Mac Omolo-photo courtesy
of Gloria Gonslaves

“World Children’s Poetry Day WoChiPoDa wasn’t something I considered or mulled over. The idea occurred to me on the Sunday of May 25th in 2014 during a walk in the Fairy Tale Forest of Altenberg, Germany...it is important for children to learn and experience poetry in a fun way other than school curriculum s or what is written for them by adults.” Gloria D. Gonsalves a native Tanzanian living in Germany explains on how she registered the first Saturday of October, as world children’s poetry day. It is her efforts that inspired several poets including myself led by poet Zuhura Seng’enge to visit Ujasiri hostel earlier this month.

 Poet Rehema Kawambwa celebrates WoChiPoDa with her students
in Kisarawe, Tanzania photo by Gloria Gonslaves
Ujasiri hostel was built in 2013 by TLM-Tumaini la Maisha an NGO operating in Tanzania. Ujasiri houses out of post children cancer patients and their guardians, who require long or critical care treatments. TLM was established in 2011 following initiatives by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Tanzania and the huge support of donor funding from within and outside the country. Its patron is the Hon former president Ali Hassan Mwinyi.

Here efforts by Dr Jane Kaijage (she ran the first children cancer ward at Ocean Road Cancer Institute), International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research, Children in Crossfire, Rotary Dar Marathon, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin, the Abbott Fund, Resolute Mining, Karimjee Foundation and private donations; have ensured TLM has made significant milestones in the fight against cancer for children in the country.

Whereas before it was established of the expected annual 3500 cases of paediatric cancer in the country, survival rate stood at 12% compared to 85% in developed countries. Today TLM is happy to report the figures have improved to 60% annually.  Cancers found in children are largely curable especially when cases are reported early...” Alex Kaijage Marketing Manager TLM, source https://www.ucd.ie/t4cms/TLM%20PDF.pdf

A group photo of the WoChiPoDa celebrating crew in DSM
earlier this month at Ujasiri Hostel in Muhimbili Hospital
The resilience of the kids at Ujasiri was infectious, here Gospo a 6 year old from Kagera made me pause with admiration. Suffering poor vision a result of cancer, he was adept at using his hearing exceptionally well, catching the exact tone of your voice and responding with intelligence and enthusiasm as you spoke with him. He took pencil to paper though he didn’t see what he was drawing and always tucked his drawings in square sheets that fit into his pocket, so he could later show his dad.

Through the efforts of Gloria Gonslaves on this day Gospo, Kisa, Winner, Miriam and many more kids at Ujasiri, got to enjoy art and poetry. Supplemented by breakfast and a big cake specially made for them that read ‘poems are fun’. Indeed on this day poetry was a whole lot of fun, as the kids got into two teams’ one representing sunshine and the other rain. Both had to compose lines of poetry using a doodling and visual brainstorming method. The result was some amazing artworks and surprisingly articulate lines of poetry from a few of the kids present.

Adults are lady Zuhura Seng'enge and the Teacher at Ujasiri Hostel
Here the kids have just received presents to celebrate the
WoChiPoDa day
Gloria also on this day had three other celebrations taking place in different regions; students in Munich led by Diana Mac Omolo celebrated Wochipoda. Where in Tanzania also in Moshi students led by Eric Ndumbaro and students in the district of Kisarawe in Pwani region led by Rehema Kawambwa got to celebrate World Children Poetry Day.

Yes, I have sponsored all the events to date. You can imagine as the initiative grows, this self-funding approach will be unrealistic...This year my funding reason was to give thanks for being a mother after many attempts (Gloria is a survivor of Adenomyosis http://www.doktorsea.com/tag/auntie-glo/). These events were my baby shower a ‘welcoming the baby’ party thanksgiving.” Gloria adds on how she has kept this movement alive, you can support this initiative that gives visible tools of self expression for children by visiting wochipoda.com

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