Learning and training is a core part of what we do here at Friends of Basha. That learning doesn’t stop with our trainees and artisans. As a staff team we’re determined to offer the best level of care and service we can. That’s why three staff members recently completed training in an International Child Development Programme developed by a team of Norwegian experts and brought to Bangladesh by Basha friend, Doctor Gerd Eli Halaand. This training centres around eight core principles to help adults have greater empathy for children in their care and best support their ongoing mental and emotional development.
After undertaking further training to become facilitators, this small team of three Bangladeshi women are rolling the training out across Friends of Basha. Starting with other staff, they’ll soon offer the course to artisans and producers too. This week’s staff training session begins with a discussion on earlier learnings around the importance of adapting communication styles to the needs of each individual child. There is a real sense of openness in the room as the women reflect on both the joys and challenges of putting these new communication techniques into practice over the past week in a busy day care centre with 50 energetic children. This openness and quiet respect soon turns to laughter as the session moves onto role play and drama focusing around affirmation and giving praise.
It’s important that our staff are well trained to care for the children in our day care. At the end of each day these children go home to families where we strive to see the same high level of encouragement, support and security displayed. Many of the artisans at Basha have had difficult and traumatic lives. Without a stable home or positive parental role model to look to, learning how to parent can be tough. That’s why Friends of Basha regularly runs parenting and basic life skills classes. The addition of the International Child Development Programme moves these parenting classes beyond basic nutrition, physical care and education to focus on the importance of emotional support and development for overall wellbeing. Through educating and empowering women to be the positive parents they deserved, their children are growing up in healthier, happier homes.
