Articles
Ongoing Projects
At St. Monica’s, we believe that development comes one step at a time and this is the perspective from which we approach the growth of the home. Our desire is to make St. Monica’s as comfortable as possible for the girls and our projects therefore reflect our commitment to improving the quality of life at the home.
Each project serves to strengthen the bond among the members of our family. Our ongoing projects can be considered in various respects:
Refurbishing our new home
It is important that the atmosphere at the home is conducive to the girl’s development and that the home provides for the girls a source of comfort and freedom. To this end, we have begun a series of activities that we know will engage the girls in making St. Monica’s the home that that they would want it to be.
These activities are:
- Setting up a library for the home – This will provide for the girls an additional source of inspiration, reflection, relaxation and information.
- Soft furnishings – These will improve the atmosphere of the home.
- Painting the home – This will give the home a more appealing look. It is well known that colors can either agitate or relax the mind.
- Landscaping – Growing and tending to flowers around the home will beautify the home and may become a hobby for some of the girls.
Annual vegetable farming
At the home we have set aside a small patch where we grow vegetables. The vegetables are intended for use at the home as an alternative to always buying. Moreover, learning how to grow vegetables provides the girls with a useful skill as well as an activity that they can engage in. Alongside this, we intend to begin rearing rabbits and chickens in part as a source of income but also for the sake of the girls. Playing with their animals will keep the girls busy and give them something recreational to do. Furthermore, having to feed them and clean up after them will also inculcate a culture of responsibility in the girls
Mentorship and counseling
At St. Monica’s we have set in place a system of mentorship where the girls mentor each other. Every evening before supper, the girls are given an opportunity to reflect on the day’s activities and discuss what they hope to achieve in the coming days. They also take the opportunity to discuss principles that guide them in their lives and whether and why they are of importance. Mentorship for the girls is important as an opportunity to reflect on their lives, to share with each other and learn from each other. Through mentorship we encourage fraternity among the girls, leadership, humility and other principles and values that will guide the girls even beyond their stay at St. Monica’s. We have also established a system of counselling in which a counsellor visits with the girls every week during the holidays. Through this, the girls are given an opportunity to discuss with the counsellor whatever problems, challenges and questions they may have and receive advice and encouragement from the counsellor. The mentorship and counselling systems are aimed at ensuring the emotional and psychological growth of the girls.
Recreational Activities
Recreational activities are extremely important for the girl’s education and growth. They provide an opportunity for the girls to unwind, socialize, have fun and develop talents beyond formal education. At the home we organize talent shows, fashion shows, singing and drama fests as well as sporting events. Many of these activities are organized with the support and participation of the friends of the home. We are now looking to expand the scope of these activities and expose the girls to national events and competitions in art, music, sports, literature and many more.
