Insitut Abelard, Leogane Haiti, October 22, 2010:
A young girl with the new latrine facilities.
Constructing safer schools is at the center of Save the Children’s plans for rebuilding schools after the earthquake.
The Institut Abellard in Léogâne, at the epicentre of the earthquake is an example of disaster risk reduction principles taken to the next level.
Featuring innovative yet simple techniques that make it more hurricane –and earthquake-resistant this school is a pilot project and the first of its kind. The school serves as an example of best practices and as a prototype for building other schools around the country.
Institut Abellard is made up of eight classrooms with an average of 30 children per class. There are 280 children in this Save the Children supported primary schools.
Classes range from kindergarten to grade 6. Subjects taught include maths, French, Creole, science, theatre, singing and dancing. Save the Children built the school, the latrines and the hand washing station and provided, furniture and education kits.
Save the Children plans to build 14 more of these model schools over the coming months.
The construction techniques used have been studied by both private builders and non-governmental organisations.
Save the Children is also providing teachers here with training on reducing the impact of disasters on children, reducing the psychosocial and social needs of children affected by the quake and applying positive practices in the classroom.
As part of emergency preparedness training children also practice exercise drills in case of another earthquake. These lessons are interactive and are done through participation, question and answer, singing and role playing.
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Posted by Save the Children Canada on 2011-01-10 23:26:47
Tagged: , Photo , credit: , Susan , Warner/Save , Children
