PROVIDE YOUTH AN ACTIVE LIFE AND A PLACE TO MEET

Every child has the right to play. During our time in Mozambique, we’ve noticed is that these kinds of projects are often forgotten. UNICEF describes childhood poverty as the deprivation of the material and psychological resources needed for children to survive, develop, and thrive (Childhood Poverty, UNICEF). In its analysis of Mozambique, UNICEF reported that children residing in Mozambique’s rural areas have a higher risk of experiencing childhood poverty than those living in the country’s urban areas.

Therefore, together with the community we decided to make a playground made by local and recycled materials to allow the children to have access to a space for them to develop on their own terms. This project was started in October 2015 together with the community, located in Beira, Mozambique.

In collectivist societies such as that in Mozambique, children begin helping their families at a very young age. They assist with household chores, help sell charcoal along the road, and work in agriculture. It is often forgotten that they also need a place where they can just be children and play with each other. In addition to being a place for children to be active, playgrounds provide a  safe meeting space for them to foster their social skills and improve  cognitive abilities. 

In October 2015, Project Vita, together with community members in Beira, built a playground using local and recycled materials to give local children a space to run around. We used recycled tires, glass bottles, and locally sourced adobe. Together with the children, we painted the whole playground with bright colors.

Project Vita designs and builds  playgrounds  using recycled local materials. We then provide a blueprint for other organizations and municipalities so that they can be scaled up.. Most importantly, we include children in the planning and designing of playgrounds to provide them the opportunity to practice their rights as citizens. We believe that when people are included in designing and constructing projects meant to improve their livelihoods, they are more eager to help build them and derive greater pride upon their completion. 

The playground’s construction follows Sustainable Development Goal 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

Small clip from the project: https://vimeo.com/152893988