Children can be powerful agents of change in the world when given the chance to succeed. However, global conflict and natural disasters have denied an estimated 50 million children their childhood and the opportunity to reach their full potential. Children’s vulnerabilities are amplified in emergency settings, where children are often exposed to repeated traumatic events. Adverse experiences during childhood development can negatively impact future well-being. These children can often feel hopeless and trapped in a vicious cycle of vulnerability and exploitation.
However, we seek to interrupt this vicious cycle through unique educational opportunities. Our name Amal is the Arabic word for hope, which is the essence of our work. Instilling a sense of hope is crucial in fostering resilience, and it serves as a magical power that allows children to adapt and emotionally heal from trauma. Through the use of traditional and nontraditional methods in a child-friendly space, we teach children interpersonal and behavioral skills which foster an increase in emotional intelligence, resilience, and sense of self-efficacy. In addition to basic reading and writing, our Rainbow of Education uniquely incorporates the use of kids yoga, mindfulness, dance, and art theory to support holistic development.
We offer children a chance to once again enjoy their childhood in a safe space despite the circumstances. They can engage in the therapeutic and developmentally appropriate act of play, which provides an opportunity to informally address underlying trauma. This is critical in nurturing their ability to acquire and develop the social, cognitive, and physical competencies that affect children’s present realities and future successes.
We also promote social cohesion by welcoming students from all backgrounds. Our safe spaces are areas in which children and teachers from different backgrounds can come to encounter and learn from one another. We emphasize social emotional learning to better the interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence necessary to build more peaceful communities. In addition, the teachers whom we train from both the host and refugee communities ensure the sustainability and cultural relevance of our programs by integrating local values and customs. We build upon the existing strengths and resources of a particular community, engaging in capacity building and professional development.
The original Rainbow of Education is a six month program designed to holistically support all aspects of childhood development from ages 7 to 12. We also have a 14-week version for children ages 3 to 6 that emphasizes early childhood development. Both curricula use colors of the rainbow to address a different theme foundational to a child’s socio-emotional well-being. The themes addressed include kindness, resilience, empathy, compassion, communication, dreams, emotional regulation, community building, and conflict resolution.
Prior to COVID, the Rainbow was being used in Greece, Lebanon, and Turkey, and was named one of the “most promising holistic practice” by UNHCR. During the pandemic, we participated in the UNHCR Humanitarian Education Accelerator COVID 19 Challenge, transforming the Rainbow of Education into a hybrid program, Colors of Kindness. While Colors of Kindness is a stand alone program, that demonstrated tremendous effectiveness in our Bangladeshi pilot, it is an adaptation of the Rainbow that can be used independently, or in conjunction with the Rainbow for long-term instruction.
It is important to note that the Rainbow program serves children 7-12, and the ECD "mini" Rainbow is adapted for children 3-6.
