Academy students have their say

Meet Phiona Nakadama, one of our first trainees at the Tjeko Academy and now a staff member of the Tjeko team in Uganda. She and her husband George are parents of 3 beautiful daughters and will take you on a journey through her growth and experiences, from the very beginning of Tjeko.

Phiona came into contact with Tjeko when she volunteered in an orphanage for babies in 2011 and received a phone call from her friend. Jobs were then, and still are, very scarce! “I had to tell my orphanage boss immediately. My boss let me go, so I ran to the office as fast as I could. Knowing that I could get a job and pay for my education at the university where I planned to study ”. When I picked up the form, I realized that I was just going to volunteer without getting paid. At the orphanage I got at least some compensation …

MY FIRST DAY AT THE TJEKO ACADEMY
I waited to see what they would tell us at our first meeting, but nothing was said about an income. To be honest, I really looked up to the hard work and being a volunteer again. I had left my parental home to attend this training, unpaid and with uncertainty for my future.

We developed a lot of love for each other and for Tjeko. We worked so hard because we knew we were the pioneers. The hard work gave us great memories. Our time at Tjeko became an unforgettable memory in our lives.

Later I realized it was a workout that changed my life forever, for the better …


THROUGH THE TJEKO ACADEMY I GROW UP TO A MORE SELF-ASSURED YOUNG WOMAN WHO DISCOVERED HER TALENTS, DARE TO STAND AND SHINE.

During the Tjeko Academy and my years of experience as an employee, I learned various communication skills. This has helped me in the education of my children, and in establishing contact and communicating with the customers of Tjeko with whom I come into contact in the workplace.

OUR TIME AT TJEKO, AN UNFORGETTABLE REMINDER IN OUR LIFE.

Tjeko has certainly broadened and built my spirit of self-esteem and confidence. It helped me get to know myself better. I was a very cocky, but shy girl. Through the academy training courses we were given the opportunity to participate in all activities in the field of training in, among other things, child work, leadership, presentation and communication. This was a personal process, focused on the group, but also mainly on the individuals. Not like what I was used to at school, where the emphasis is mainly on the very smart child. We were at school with 100 students in a classroom.


TJEKO THROUGH THE YEARS

Tjeko has developed rapidly in these ten years. In the beginning, we mainly focused on the Tjeko Fun Fair. This is a big event that takes place once or twice a year. In the meantime, more great opportunities and activities have emerged. We now have Tjeko Live, Tjeko Fun Servicer rental, Tjeko Play Park, the bicycle rental and the training “Train the Trainer”.


TJEKO ANNO 2020

As Tjeko, we are able to forge and still preach the gospel of creativity. The government still gives no hope when the Covid19 issue will end. Going to school is therefore not yet possible. This frightened parents of what to do with their children at home. Now that Tjeko came up with the home visits, the radio program and the Tjeko Journal, it was an eye-opener for what parents can do with their children.

Tjeko programs help the parents in what they can do with their lives and the children and this is by using creativity and thus by playing with your children.

HOW PARENTS RESPOND TO OUR COMMITMENT AND ACTIONS

They say that “The Tjeko events are a source of enlightenment, encouragement and an eye-opener.” Families who had lost hope recently lived together ill-considered. They take the days as they come, without hope. They left their children move freely and walk around unsupervised because they didn’t know how to keep them busy.

PHIONA’S DREAMS FOR TJEKO

My dreams for Tjeko are growth and development. In addition, it would be great to build a place for children’s theater and develop a music cartoon to reach even more children. I would also like to talk to external partners and learn how we can promote Tjeko even more. How we can better promote the annual Tjeko events we plan to hold or how we can get Tjeko’s activities even more included in schools in their annual programs. And finally to expand Tjeko even more to the communities.


Playing unleashes something. Children will learn better, be more creative and innovative, dare more, and grow into healthier adults if we give them the opportunity to play.

​Will you help us?


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