Marvin's story

Marvin who is 12 is the youngest child of a very poor family with five children and two unem-ployed parents. He is a pupil in the fifth grade of “Myslym Shehu” primary school in Dibra.

At the school he attended two years ago he was not well treated. “They insulted, offended, and ignored me”. I had difficulties in learning and besides lost my will to go to school. I dropped out of school and played all day in the street”.

Now, after two years, his life is very different. With support of the SCiA Basic Education Programme, he can now regularly attend school, has achieved good results and participates in cultural, educational and sports activities that the school organizes with the initiative and involvement of the Children’s Government.

“In the beginning, Marvin had many problems in school progress and attendance.”

Though he changed schools Marvin continued to have the same problems. But due to his participation in the children’s government activity “To help pupils with learning difficulties” and his involvement in other school activities, Marvin started to change. He has improved his reading and writing, is regularly attending the school and participates in school activities”– noted Leta, teacher of Marvin and Coordinator of Children’s Government.

Marvin’s family couldn’t afford even books and pens for him to come to school. He didn’t have the basic items for learning. However with children’s government help, Marvin was provi- ded with all the needed materials for learning.

“He is a boy with high intellect and recites beauti-fully. We taught him also hygiene lessons and included him in every sport or show activity that the Children’s Government organized” - expressed Ronaldo, 13 year old member of CG, who helped Marvin intensively for six month.

“The school has many difficulties such as lack of didactic and learning facilities, insufficient space for school extra curricular activities, no library for children or playground, and poor economic level of the community round school. The work of Children’s Government and its organized educative and cultural activities. The application of the new and child-centered teaching methods in the learning process by the trained teachers have improved the quality of learning and school life, of the children and the community-expressed the Education Inspector of Dibra That’s why, Marvin said with a smile: This school changed my life.