Promoting positivity for primary school pupils

More than a dozen Observatory Junior School pupils took part in a confidence-boosting workshop run by a non-profit organisation, on Saturday.

Children from various grades attended the workshop, with their parents, at the Saint Peter’s Square mall.

“We try to find the best in children, reinforce them, give them a sense of purpose, we show them alternatives and tools of how they should do things and feel better,” said Dominique Schilder, the founder of the Sticky Toffee Children’s Centre.

They use poetry, songs and dancing to help enforce positive feelings among children who have difficulties at school.

The school’s principal, Sofeya Moonsamy, said Sticky Toffee ran the workshops once a month at the school for children who had behavioural challenges and found it hard to concentrate.

This workshop was dubbed the “Freedom Day workshop” ahead of the public holiday on April 27 to emphasise their rights as children, she said.

“They are free as pupils to express themselves, to stand up for themselves, and this workshop will show them how worthy they are and will raise their self-esteem.”

Parent Minnie Mthombeni said the workshop showed the children were becoming more confident, and she felt Sticky Toffee was helping to give them direction.

Visit the Sticky Toffee Children’s Centre’s Facebook page for more information.