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Raising Awareness of Dental Care with Crocodile Bambo

The crocodile Bambo (translation of the crocodile in Mandinka), accompanied me on my last tour of various kindergartens before the end of the school year. I had a toothbrush and tooth paste for each child. The theatrical introduction to the topic of dental care and the demonstration of how to brush teeth properly using Bambo's teeth triggers many a laugh and is enjoyed by young and old alike. After the demonstration, I gave each child their present accompanied by a few words of encouragement. The present got packed up unto their backpacks with great joy. Later on, grateful parents here and there express their appreciation to me.

Furthermore, new trainees will regularly visit the kindergartens and at the same time benefit from getting to know the lessons and the various playgrounds. As a result, the responsible inspector has also gained an insight into how my play program is structured during one of his visits. This cooperation is important and I really appreciate it, because my work should fit in with the local requirements. And as it turned out, it fits in perfectly with their new form of teaching.

The many toothbrushes and tooth paste were kindly donated to me by “tooth fairies” from various kindergartens in Switzerland, who had passed on their leftover stock to me. It does not go without saying that every child here has a toothbrush, even though the “modern” toothbrush has now become established. However..., time and again I can see adults using finger-thick, peeled twigs around all their teeth, which when used, split open beautifully at the front to form a brush. It still seems to be the norm, because whether on the street, at the counter, at meetings or even during a conversation, even the backmost tooth is brushed without restraint with the mouth open. The branches of the widespread cola tree are mainly used (photo under “More pictures”), as well as the mamakounkoyo, which grows in the Casamance region. Both are said to have an antibacterial effect and, in addition to cleaning, are an excellent tooth profilaxis. It's nice to see that the tried and tested is still around.

The Visit by the Responsible Inspector for Training Kindergarten School Teachers

Inspector Nalla's visit to the Ecole 5 kindergarten was very enriching for everyone involved. On the one hand, Nalla was able to get a direct impression of how the children spend their time at the 10 playgrounds, as well as of my supervision of the lessons. He was visibly delighted and expressed his great appreciation for my commitment. He also explained the educational background of the various games to the trainees afterwards.

In addition, kindergarten director Doukouré explained the positive experiences from his side. He also gratefully mentioned the various buildings of the kindergarten, our construction project from last year. It was particularly interesting for me to find out more about the current training, which lasts nine months here. This includes six months of theory and a total of three months of practical training at intervals. It is very pleasing for me that we are now moving towards playful teaching. This means that we are pulling in the same direction, which is the most important thing, so that my pedagogical work in the playful area can lead to success and be incorporated into your program in a sustainable way. And of course this is also the basis for a harmonious and enjoyable collaboration with the teachers.

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