BIDEWW Kids’ Program- King’s County
West African Center is pleased to extend the BIDEWW After School Program and homework club to the West African families in King County. If your child needs help with homework or to learn other life and social skills and you don’t have the time to help them, this is the perfect program for you. This is also a platform for West African kids to interact, learn from each other and build their own community. Starting October 1st 2023 on Tuesday & Thursday 2:35PM to 5:00PM at Dimmit Middle School 12320 80th Ave. South Seattle, WA 98178. REGISTER NOW 253-235-2132 or www.wawac.org.
WAWAC’S BIDEWW After SCHOOL PROGRAM DIFFERENT FORMS
REPORT BOOK AND INCIDENT FORM: REPORT FORM
REQUEST FORM: REPORT FORM
PARENTAL CONSENT FORM: REPORT FORM
SIGN-UP FORM: WAWAC’S AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM SIGN-UP FORM
WAWAC takes great pride in serving our kids.
We organize youth services such as:
- Movie nights,
- Homework club
- Exhibitions
- Fun activities
- Play time
- Other educational and entertainment programs
BIDEWW AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
WAWAC’s “Bideww After School Program and homework club seeks to create a culturally appropriate, fun and unique learning environment that fosters social skills, and provides learning opportunities for West African kids through exciting structured activities free of charge. It is for parents whose kids need help with homework or inspiration to learn other life and social skills. This is also a platform for West African kids to interact, learn from each other and build their own community. It is available to school-aged children 5 to 17 years old in Snohomish and King County twice a week. Through this platform, the kids of our community explore their artistic instincts through collaborative art projects – painting and drawing, tie & dye, cinematography, dance etc.
Last year, 25 West African Children attended the after school program in Snohomish County . Due to the success of our program, many other parents from the west African community registered their kids for this program. However, due to lack of capacity we couldn’t accommodate them. Currently, we have 35 kids on the waiting list. In September of 2022, we launched the King County chapter of the Bideww After School program.
This program holds significant value for kids in our community because it inspires them to be creatively driven at an early age. This is an opportunity that they don’t ordinarily receive from their parents because most West African parents deem art as a “waste of time” – This grossly deprives kids of the possibility to explore their creativity. We pride ourselves in opening our program to a wide range in age and learning abilities. We have been providing our program to many middle-school youth who are eager to learn skills relevant to their future and curious about exploring more about the transition to high-school and beyond.
See video links below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Witk-JXtUD4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_eQze7c3-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBbz4545jko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJv_ZyXjy-0&t=97s
Hear us out song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv1EKJrjtZ0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0QCZwAfaXc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsfXFmNnax0
BIDEWW SUMMER CAMP
In 2022, WAWAC organized a highly successful BIDEWW Summer Camp (The Summer version of the after school program) designed to bring together West African children as a community. The program included a variety of activities designed to promote teamwork, education, and fun, with field trips serving as both a learning opportunity and a way to foster friendship and camaraderie among participants. Throughout the camp, children are able to engage in hands-on learning experiences while developing their social and communication skills.
The program included field trips to several local destinations, including Alderwood Mall, North Lynnwood Park, Forest Park in Everett, the Lynnwood Recreation Center, McDonald’s, and Whidbey Island. Additionally, 24 students participated in the Mission Africa summer camp in Renton, providing an opportunity for cultural exchange and further skill-building. WAWAC is proud to have provided a safe and engaging environment for West African children to learn, grow, and have fun during the summer months of 2022, and we look forward to continuing to serve our community in this way.
See video links below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5aIHcMhzXM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqGUgFK-UqI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNeZXMFktQ4
LAYBONE LUPAIN
Check out our photo gallery filled with special moments of the kids here.
Our “Safety Through Community Connection” project also includes a monthly “Laybone Lupain”
(storytelling) and movie night sessions where our kids would gather to watch an age and culturally
appropriate movie of their choice.
This would be followed by traditional storytelling (folklore) by a
grandparent from the community. This is geared towards ensuring our kids grow to know each other
and also learn important community values, thereby fostering relationships and community
connections.
Each “Movie Night” session accommodates up to 20 kids (5 to 15 years old). You can have
a glimpse at some of the movie nights on the links below for more insight.
1st Laybone Lupane/movie night https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icQMvNrvsTE&t=335s
2nd Laybone Lupane/ movie night https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kX1JZIYlbQ&t=20s
4th Laybone Lupane/movie night https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYm5a3KY5ns&t=565s
