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The Rocking Horse Project
The Rocking Horse Project is the only children’s palliative care organization in Swaziland and also the only organization which hires four play coordinators in four major hospitals, with funding from SSP.
These play coordinators help to distract the children with play therapy and in cases where children are admitted for long periods of time, assist with their ongoing education needs. They are also an essential link between the patients and medical personnel as well with the Rocking Horse Project office.
When children are admitted in hospital for long periods of time, their education is negatively affected and they will most likely lag behind their fellow students once they return to school. Our play coordinators assist these children with their homework and ask parents to collect school work from the teachers when children are admitted for an extended time. Already being admitted to hospital is discouraging, but this is when play is an important aspect of interacting with children and assisting them in their education.
Rocking Horse leaders Denise and Raquel support the UNICEF view that “it is of utmost importance that our play coordinators use play opportunities and the environment they are in to promote education through play. Hands on learning for children is the best mechanism for them to grasp concepts in education and promote their cognitive development.”
A quote from one of the Play Coordinators: “Before I was employed as a play coordinator, I never knew or even thought about its importance. I have watched children with psychological issues and behaviours express their feelings through play and have been able to help them work through their problems”.
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