Something is different about our children today. They seem more negative, more fragile, less motivated, and less resilient. As one grandma put it very simply, ‘our children are falling apart too easily’.
Before the COVID 19 pandemic, statistics on mental health distress across the globe were already at a record high. In the wake of the pandemic, these numbers have seen an even sharper increase, particularly among children and adolescents.
Research is showing that tweens and teens are feeling more isolated, depressed, and anxious and are not developing the social skills they need to lead meaningful lives in the real world.
Despite the fact that our children have way more than we did while growing up, many are struggling with depression, anxiety, and lack of motivation.
Parents and caregivers of children are increasingly finding themselves at a loss on how to support the children they love and care for, as this is such unfamiliar territory.
NOW IS THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR CHILDREN NEED
"Nothing in life is to be feared, only understood, Now is the time to understand more so that we may fear less."
– Marie Curie
Studies show that resilient children share two unmistakable characteristics: a healthy connection with at least one supportive adult, AND a set of learned skills that help them flourish mentally, morally and emotionally.
Good news is, at STAWI Camp, we have provided a structured environment that brings together these two key ingredients for resilience. We are normalizing conversations around mental health. We are giving children and their caregivers a tool-kit with simple, practical strategies to support them to thrive through life's uncertainities.
What are some of STAWI Camp Highlights?
Identifying Emotions: Kids need an emotional vocabulary to learn social competence, and they learn them best face–to–face. We engage kids in how to identify and process a whole range of emotions, especially the ‘big’ feelings of anger, frustration, anxiety, and sadness.
Managing Emotions: What does your child do when they feel angry, sad, anxious or frustrated? We often assume that children should naturally know how to express ‘big’ emotions in ways that are healthy. We will teach your children healthy ways to communicate and express their ‘big’ feelings.
Self-Motivation, Self-Drive, and Personal Responsibility: How does your child handle failure? How do you handle failure? Did you know that hope, optimism, and self-control can be taught? We provide a space for your child to learn and develop perseverance, consistency, and persistence. We also give them tools to take personal responsibility of caring for the enviroment.
Kindness, Compassion, and Gratitude: In the last 30 years, the empathy of young people has dropped more than 40 percent! Empathy, kindness, compassion, and gratitude are teachable, and we provide a safe, fun space for your children to learn these skills.
Sessions for Parents and caregivers: Interventions that target both children and their caregivers have been found to be more effective than those which target either party. At STAWI Camp, we do not leave the parents behind. We will have separate sessions for parents and for children, as well as joint sessions for families.
Our caring, compassionate and resilient community is made up of:
Stawi Zuri - 4-6yrs
Stawi Upendo - 7-9yrs
Stawi Furaha - 10-12yrs
Stawi Amani - 13-15yrs
Stawi Fadhili - 16-17yrs
Stawi Jasiri - Pre-College students
Stawi Hekima - College Students
Stawi Busara - After-College