Hi Carolyn,

The following options could be tried :

- indoor games that are possible inside the classrooms on the desks - like chess, carrom, scrabble, etc

- indoor games that are possible inside the classrooms by shifting the desks - like table-tennis

- a basketball basket can be fixed on a suitable wall inside the school complex, and children can practice, but without much running around due to lack of space.

- a small gym can be created inside the school complex, even inside a class by shifting the desks during the gym period - dumb-bells, skipping ropes, weights etc do not occupy much space

- for outdoor activity, visits can be organized to the swimming pools, community playgrounds, provided these exist in the region.

- on a long-term basis, purchase of a suitable playground could be attempted in partnership with other schools in the region, so that each school has a small share in the land and is able to utilize the complete ground in shifts or on pre-decided days in a month.

Vijai

Hello Vijai,

Thank you a million!

At present we do play Chess,Scrabble,Snakes and Ladders and Ludo.

We also play Table Tennis, though we play it outside and at the Mercy of the weather.Our Social centre is not a school unfortuately.We have converted a house and a yard into a centre.

We greatest challenge is the unability of the local council to think of the children and youths in their planning when developing residential areas.To them it seems the thought that families who leave in these areas have children and these children have a right to play so that they develop their mental and otherwise is not there.I will be very grateful to from others who have had this type of challenge and how they have managed it.

In the long run as you said is an option, but because the land is all in private hands it is very expensive.Is there any way that the local councils can be compiled to make a provision for play space for children?

Hi Mulenga, I know you have a lot on your plate and this suggestion may be one that takes time..but if you got a representative group together from your community- you could try lobbying the local council. You see there is so much literature out there about the importance of public play space for kids...your argument would be very sound. I don't know how council's work in Zambia but in Australia you can take a proposal to a council meeting as long as you have the support of your community or interest group. It's an idea- it would certainly ensure that future kids in Garden have a decent playing space.
Carolyn

Hi Mulenga,

It's good to hear from you !

The problems of space and high prices that you face in your area are common issues that exist in most parts of the world where cities have grown rapidly in all directions - including upwards.

Due to this growth and lack of open spaces, people have changed their lifestyles so that they can focus more on their own well-being instead of wasting time in waiting for the local governments to improve things for them.

For example, in large cities that lack open spaces like playgrounds and parks, lots of people of all ages including children regularly visit gymnasiums to keep themselves physically fit. In fact, owning a gym in a big city is good business, and these are quite popular with people of all ages and all professions.

Since your Social centre already has space of a house and a yard, there is so much that you can organize in-house, that you will not feel the need of an open playground. Some of the activities which can be done within the Social centre, that I can think of, are as under :

- yoga - for physical and mental fitness
- meditation - for mental and spiritual fitness
- martial arts - for physical fitness and self-defence
- accupressure - for physical well-being
- gymnasium - for physical fitness - use inexpensive equipment to start with
- crafts - making handicrafts of local repute which can be sold
- music - start a band, which can perform and earn
- competitions - in all fields of activity
- e-library - we were discussing this a few months back. I hope it is working now.

Activities which can be done outside the Social centre :

- jogging in groups for physical fitness
- getting involved with social efforts like planting trees, etc.
- going on long educational walks like a botanical trip to learn about local herbs etc
- organizing visits to local industry to learn how things are manufactured

In fact, there would be several other good options to keep the members of the Social centre fully occupied both in-house as well as outside the Social centre.

Most options do not require any money.

Most options are suitable for children also. In addition, if a special play area for small children is to be organized, there are several options like swings, sliders etc which are meant for indoor use and are quite popular and safe, and these can be installed in the open yard of the Social centre, and do not need an open playground to be installed.

You can also explore tie-ups with other clubs and schools for sharing their facilities, in exchange for allowing them to share your facilities, or on payment basis.

With so many possibilities, looking for a playground may be the last thing on your mind. Nevertheless, you can continue to explore options for playgrounds in your region, but as I said, these are vanishing fast in all thickly populated parts of the world, and hence you may be hoping for the impossible.

Vijai

Hi Mulenga,
The suggestion made by Carolyn above is also important. You never know - maybe the local government in your region is just waiting for people to come up to them with proposals for playgrounds for children. It could be just the thing you could hope for, in case it is approved.
Vijai

Vijai- these are great ideas! Lots of activities that don't cost money :)
Thanks!!

Hi Carolyn,
An important aspect of growing up relates to getting involved with issues of the society. Youth beyond a certain age, say 20-25 year-olds, could be involved in volunteer activity at the village, in case the need arises.
Vijai

Hello Vijai and Carolyn,

Thank you very much for all your ideas and suggestions.It is really amasing to see how much can be done at a minimum cost.

In the longrun looking at the rate things are being done,it will be a right for children to have land so that they can exercise their Right to Play.For why give every child a right to play but no place for them to enjoy this right.

Carolyn,your suggestion about getting a group of people from the local community to go and ask the council for a piece of Land.Our greatest challenge here is to get people to do so as here in our country council do not realise that they are there to service the community and ensure that they meet the needs of these community.To them only the commercial aspect interest them.As for they community they fear these institutions.As a starting point I am sure a lot of civic education will be needed and these as Yofoso we are doing mostly with the children.I am sure with an enlighten young generation things will definetly be done differently.

I am also very interested in knowing what others in different countries and communities are doing to ensure that the powers that be make a provision for playing space for the children.Otherwise what is the point in saying that every child has a right to play but no thought is given in letting them have space to enjoy this right.

Mulenga

Hello Mulenga,

A simple solution to this problem will be achieved only by approaching the source of this information - which is the concerned department in the local government which is responsible for allocating the space for playgrounds. Discussions with third parties may not achieve the desired results. The actions in this direction are simple :
- identify the local civic authority responsible for allocating this land
- request for a meeting
- during the meeting request for information on the policy for allocation of this land

In case the local authority refuses to discuss, you could approach the next higher level, and so on.

At some stage, you will certainly find the answers through this route.

Neighbours on nabuur might help you with personal opinions, but the rules for allocation of land in your country can be ascertained only from your local government. I tried to search for this information about Zambia on the internet, but was unsuccessful.

Vijai

Mulenga- perhaps you could give us a bit of an idea about what a compound is in Zambia? (Garden is a compound)I have been to a couple myself during my travels in Africa and from what I saw they are often hap hazzard collection of houses and stores and taverns with not much infrastructure. They weren't really "built" but are a result of spill over from the larger, close by cities. Is this in a sense correct Mulenga?

Vijai- whilst I agree with your suggestions of finding out who allocates space in a community and going down that track- in my mind this only applies to organised cities. A compund (which Garden is one) is not necessarily an organised city or town.
Anyway- I think some clarification from Mulenga would be good- also a bit more info about council/governance structures in Garden. This will give us more food for thought.

Carolyn- In a way you are right about what a compound is.However that is just one type compound, the other type is a planned one where you have organised collection of houses,stores,etc.

Garden falls into the second group.However, due to the lack of checking and policing from the local Authorities and also lack of proper allocating of plots and not leaving out politcal matters all the land has been illegally given out.Some of the people who get these plots fail to complete building their houses or any other structure they are putting up.You will also find that certain people got very big pieces of Land and the are now selling off their land at very high prices,speculators is what they are called?

As for the Council Structure in compounds,the smallest unit is called a Zone.A number of Zones make-up a Ward and the Wards make -up a Constitutency.For governance purposes we have Ward Development Committees,while a ward is headed by a ward councilor.This person represents the ward at the Council. a Constitutency is led by a Member of Parilament.

Basically that is our structure.I hope it helps matters.

Mulenga

Hi Carolyn and Mulenga,
Contact could be established with the ward councilor. Further deliberations for allocation of the playground could be decided based on what he says.
Vijai

Creation of child and youth friendly spaces is critical and very important. We have to ensure that such places are existant since its also a contributing factor to the rights of the child (read Right to Play). Its good when you raise such an issue here. You need the land, and you have weighed your options, you can buy, rent but also before you get the money, children still need the space. Go ahead and mobilise community support, convince of the elders with dormant land to still provide a space as you plan a purchase. You can also visit the district local government office in charge of community development, its governments responsibility to care for citizens. Remind them and they might help provide one of the government free spaces as you fundraise. What do you think?
--
Patrick Jude Mugisha

Creation of child and youth friendly spaces is critical and very important. We have to ensure that such places are existant since its also a contributing factor to the rights of the child (read Right to Play). Its good when you raise such an issue here. You need the land, and you have weighed your options, you can buy, rent but also before you get the money, children still need the space. Go ahead and mobilise community support, convince of the elders with dormant land to still provide a space as you plan a purchase. You can also visit the district local government office in charge of community development, its governments responsibility to care for citizens. Remind them and they might help provide one of the government free spaces as you fundraise. What do you think?
--
Patrick Jude Mugisha

Creation of child and youth friendly spaces is critical and very important. We have to ensure that such places are existant since its also a contributing factor to the rights of the child (read Right to Play). Its good when you raise such an issue here. You need the land, and you have weighed your options, you can buy, rent but also before you get the money, children still need the space. Go ahead and mobilise community support, convince of the elders with dormant land to still provide a space as you plan a purchase. You can also visit the district local government office in charge of community development, its governments responsibility to care for citizens. Remind them and they might help provide one of the government free spaces as you fundraise. What do you think?

Please give me some feedback.
--
Patrick Jude Mugisha