« I study thanks to the WCYA«  Boy from Cote d’Ivoire

« Through trainings, meetings and IGAs, our activities develop. » Boy from Benin

Vital information needed is given to me and the AWCY make me more confident in reading their newsletters. » Girl from Guinea Conakry

 

In 1990, an African Training Program (ATP) was set up by Enda, whose central theme was the « how » of participation. Its founders aimed to develop local expertise, from lessons learned and from released tools of the African experience and to place them at the disposal of the actors (animators) for their reinforcement.
In 1994, the African Movement of Working Children was formed in Bouake, by children and young people from four countries (Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast,, Mali and Senegal) at the time of a session of this program which, for the first time, integrated children. It was the first step in the ownership of the program by this new movement, the AMWCY and key stakeholders, the Working Children and Youth.

The Children and Youth

In 1997, the first training was given to delegates leaving for a conference in Kundapur, India. It was followed by a training to the WCYA members of Cotonou.. The research methodology, action expressed in simple teaching terms is fully mastered by the WCY.

Gradually, a generation of WCY trainers began to develop. They operate alongside trainers – facilitators from support structures.

Today, the AMWCY trains approximately 120 WCY and animators a year at its meetings of 4 technical Support Groups (teacher training).

They intervene particularly in « technical support visits » (about 80 per year) in the member towns or aspiring member towns each year since 2000. It then acts to reinforce the WCYA and support structures of the same city, country on the basis of the difficulties identified by these partners.

They also intervene in national training workshops held each year in the 22 member countries, whose main themes are:

1. Participation
2. Planning based on the rights
3. Listen especially to the younger ones by their ages.
4. Mobilisation and Resource Management
5. Income Generating Activities
6. Communication and advocacy (including comics, radio, etc
7. Protection and “Support of the children in migration ”

These Technical Support groups, Technical Support Visits and National Education Workshops, constitute one of the AMWCY pillars, bearer of technical tools to develop its objectives. Training is also a new beginning, as generations pass and do not always convey all of their achievements.

Example of the training sheet: educational fact sheet on the participation

Specific Objective 1 : Understand  the participation and its importance

Activities of the facilitator Group Work Step 1 : to prepare and present a meeting where all the members of the grass root group or association contribute to the discussions and decision making Step 2 : on what can one base oneself to appreciate the participation of the children and girls ? Consigne 3 : in what, why and where is the children’s participation necessary? Awaited Production 1 – Concept of participation (Having the same understanding of the word participation) 2 – children are members of grassroots groups and the AWCY – Children are consulted in decision-making and their opinion is taken into account – Children expose their situations, find the problems and causes – children plan their activities and carry them out – the children mobilize their resources and are implicated in financial management – Children are present in the committees that decide on behalf of the Association – Children are responsible in their grass root Groups – Children decide what to do and how to do 3 – participation is a human right and also a value – Participation helps to find the real problems and fix them permanently – participation develops the capacities of children, permits self protection and development – The children participate in a meeting, workshop, practice of rights concretization in the groups, an evaluation, meeting with other children, meeting with partners Evaluation (Tool: questions – answers) – What is participation? – When does one talk about the participation of the children, girls? – Why is children participation necessary?. – What are we participating in? Material resources: Padex, notebooks, pens, markers

Why training?
– To strengthen the tools that enable WCY realize their rights: to education, health, leisure, listening, respect, safety, training, etc.., developing their tools self organization, management, lobbying and communication
-To be able to develop and implement effective action plans and meet their priorities
-To facilitate the transfer of skills among WCY generations

With what results?
In 2010, twenty eight (28 national training workshops were organized in member countries by the WCY associations, with about 800 participants (485 children, 388 girls and 87 animators).
These workshops had the following effects
* Increased ability to identify problems and conflicts and to confront them from a collective consensus.
* Communication and listening Workshops increased the confidence of the WCY which attracted a greater number of children, parents and Koranic school owners. They also mastered the art of comics.
*The individual and community economic activities have also developed and facilitate self-management of the WCY. Parallel to that, WCYA management and national coordination has improved.

*The results were also very practical for sessions on educational activities, which have developed qualitatively and quantitatively

*A task force of 120 WCY and animators are today able to support the efforts of associations across Africa, by conducting support missions and responding to their requests, to carry out actions or solve difficulties.

*These workshops gave the WCY skills for the realization of their rights and have contributed to their recovery (as it is children and youth who did not have access to training) and strengthened their hope and will, to build a better life.