Our Clubs
We offer so many clubs at our community center—there's something for everyone! Our clubs bring together people ages 7 to 70 from Mwandi and the surrounding community. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we are able to offer all our community programs for free, helping our community develop crucial life skills, come together, and have fun!
Health & Wellness Club
The Health & Wellness Club began in early 2022 and serves as a reminder that we need to take care of ourselves: physically, mentally, and spiritually. It offers a wide range of topics, from cooking classes, healthy eating, first aid, art projects, yoga classes and so much more. The club welcomes anyone aged 18 and above from the Mwandi community to come and participate weekly. We are very excited about all the possibilities that this club holds.
Big Brains Club
Once a week, we hold a Baobuyu Big Brains Club for recent Baobuyu graduates to come and learn new words, reading skills and receive support in maths. Our senior class teacher, Billy, spearheads this club as he is able to sustain the connection with the children and push them to continue to learn and strive at their new schools.
“Children are the leaders of tomorrow and instilling a love of reading early gives a child a head start on expanding their vocabulary and building independence and self-confidence.” – Teacher Billy
Drafts Club
Drafts Club is a stimulating, fun-filled club that meets every Friday. The club is for children aged 9 to 14 years old. The game of drafts, simlar to checkers, helps to teach strategy and decision-making skills. The goal of Drafts Club is to give the children in Mwandi a sense of community while also linking them with positive role models within the community.
“Drafts Club is a club that has life motivation in kids and it brings creativity and good smart thinking, especially in mathematics.” – Memory
Art Club
On any given day during Art Club, we could be sculpting people and food from play-dough, making musical instruments from recycled objects, or making wacky faces from toilet tissue rolls. Each day is a unique and fun experience for our young artists. Art Club provides children an opportunity to create masterpieces using recycled materials. Not only are they doing their part to keep their environment clean, but they are also turning trash into treasure.
Math Club
When one of our previous students, who is now in grade 5, expressed her struggles in her math class, we began Math Club to create a safe space for Grade 5 students to participate in after-school math lessons. Here, we cover the Grade 5 math syllabus in fun and engaging ways. Our club is small so that each student receives as much individual attention and support as they need.
“Math Club opens my brains to become smarter, and it will help me get a better mark in school and will help me when I get older ” – Lydia, Math Club student
Basic Sign Language Club
There are so many benefits to teaching sign language at a young age. Sign language enhances creative thinking, assists with speech development, memory, social interaction, and learning new words. It also stimulates your brain and gives it a good workout! After seeing how much basic sign language helps our preschoolers learn, we introduced an after-school club to develop other students' confidence and thinking. They love learning the basics of sign language through fun games, books, and videos and we couldn’t have a better instructor than Teacher Ozious.
Book Worms Club
Headed by Teacher Sharon, our Book Worms Club teaches Grade One, Two, and Three students how to read. Our goal is for every ‘book worm’ to know the alphabet, phonics, signs, and words that begin with each letter by the end of the year.
We want our kids to fall in love with books and reading. Book Worms classes are hands-on and visual, making learning to read a unique and entertaining experience!
“I want to help children in our community with their reading and listening skills. Mostly I want them to have a great love for reading and to help them with their future.” – Teacher Sharon
Computer Club
Acknowledging that computer literacy and the ability to interact digitally is becoming ever more important, Teacher Sharon, our middle-class teacher, took on the initiative to welcome back former Baobuyu students in the afternoons to continue working with computers and expanding their knowledge!
One O'clock Workout
Every day at one o’clock, we host a fun and upbeat group workout class. During the workout, we learn new moves to strengthen our muscles, improve our endurance, and make us sweat! The One O’Clock Workout pushes us physically and mentally, helping our community experience the wonderful benefits of regular exercise.
Previous Clubs
Chess Club
Our Chess Club was established in 2018 by local community member, Brian Chinyma. Brian is a positive role model in the children’s lives. Teaching chess gives them valuable skills, from learning about the value of discipline and commitment to supporting one another. Most importantly, it gives them a sense of belonging. Our club has certainly grown over the years and Brian received a lot of support from local chess ‘extraordinaires’.
“Chess Club gives us the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the kids. It gives us an opportunity to teach structured lessons to the children and it helps children practice decision-making skills that can be applied to their daily lives. It also helps sharpen a child’s intelligence and helps to build self-discipline and confidence.” – Coach Brian
Recycling Club
In 2019, every second Wednesday afternoon in conjunction with KUBUKA, another NGO, and our Girl Power group, we host a recycling program.
We learn about our environment, where waste goes and things we can do to help clean our planet. Litter is picked up from around the school and collected from our recycling center for mass eco-bricking.
The club is a great opportunity for our older kids to take part in efforts to conserve our environment, and also a chance for them to socialise and make new friends – proving that recycling and helping the planet can be a lot of fun!
Little Explorers Club
In 2021, two of our interns initiated the Little Explorers Club! Little Explorer is a kids club that strives to teach younger children in the Mwandi Community everything about being inquisitive, kind, and brave. Little Explorers aimed to provide a safe space for young children aged 8-12 to express their curiosity about the world.
We did all types of activities, from art, to dance, to science, to reading. We hope that all our little explorers have continued to practice the lessons and activities they learn with us and inspire their friends to continue being curious, kind, and brave.
