SIRIRI o.p.s. Information

SIRIRI o.p.s. (non-profit organization) is a non-religious non-governmental and non-profit organisation which, as the only organisation in the Czech Republic, is oriented to official development assistance in the Central African Republic (CAR). It was founded in 2006. Within ten years of its existence, SIRIRI in cooperation with local missionaries has realised projects in the area of education, healthcare and agriculture, which have been supported by more than EUR 750,000. Most donations are from small donators in the Czech Republic. SIRIRI activities have been supported by the Czech Development Agency attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic by donating EUR 370,000. Strategic partners of SIRIRI in the Central African Republic are missionaries of the Discalced Carmelites Order and Central African Caritas. Learning through play in the Central African Republic In 2015, SIRIRI launched a new educational programme designed to improve the quality of education in the Central African schools. For many pupils, the five-year-long primary school cycle is the only and the highest level of education they attain. What is the problem? The Central African Republic has long been struggling with poverty and political instability. These issues and the lack of interest in the fate of this part of the world from the developed countries led to failed attempts at improving the level of the educational system in CAR. How to solve the problem? Children need mainly textbooks written in their own language, and also a teacher who knows how to motivate them. SIRIRI program can provide both. A pilot training course was launched in 2015/16 school year involving 25 teachers and 150 pupils. As the programme proved to be successful, 130 other teachers in rural and urban schools in two large districts were trained in September 2016. Many other schools shown interest in adopting those new teaching techniques, however, it all depends on funding.