Photo by RET.

Welcome to Catch Up with RET, the official newsletter of RET. We launched this newsletter in 2023, and this month we’re moving to a monthly format which will allow us to feature a broader array of news and stories from our teams. Keep reading to see what’s been happening around the world.

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Featured Photo

Each month, we’ll feature a photo from one of our country teams, along with the story behind it. This month’s cover photo comes from our team in Ouallam, Niger. The story is available in its original French text and English translation.

• La photo a été prise lors des activités récréatives hebdomadaires organisées au niveau de l’Espace Ami des Enfants de Ouallam. Ces jeunes filles jouaient à un jeu appelé “Ludo”, un jeu de société où les participants doivent faire avancer leurs pions à travers un plateau en lançant des dés. Les participantes ont instauré une nouvelle règle où chaque victoire est célébrée par des applaudissements et des chants en l’honneur de la gagnante. Ainsi, ce jeu offre un espace pour l’encouragement : lorsque l’une gagne, toutes célèbrent sa réussite, favorisant ainsi un esprit de camaraderie et de soutien mutuel. Cette dynamique ludique ne se limite pas à la compétition, mais vise également à rassembler les filles plus réservées, leur offrant ainsi une plateforme pour s’exprimer. Et au-delà du divertissement, ce jeu encourage également le développement cognitif des enfants, les incitant à réfléchir et à calculer leurs mouvements stratégiques.
• The photo was taken during weekly recreational activities organized at the Ouallam Child Friendly Space. These girls were playing a game called “Ludo”, a board game where participants must advance their pawns across a board by rolling dice. The participants established a new rule where each victory is celebrated with applause and songs in honor of the winner. Thus, this game offers a space for encouragement: When one wins, everyone celebrates her success, thus promoting a spirit of camaraderie and mutual support. This playful dynamic is not limited to competition, but also aims to bring together more reserved girls, giving them a platform to express themselves. And beyond entertainment, this game also encourages children’s cognitive development, encouraging them to think and calculate their strategic moves.

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Impact Story

Our communications team recently visited the RET Mali to showcase how we’re working with local communities to improve food security and provide vocational training with local NGO partners, REFOR and ALPHALOG. As the first in a series, this video focuses on nutrition and food security efforts with ALPHALOG in the Segou region.

And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel (and click the notification bell) to know when we post new videos.

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In Brief

Did you know we’re active in 14 countries? Here’s what we’ve been up to recently in just a few of them in the last month…

• 🇧🇮 Through the KOMEZAWIGE (“Keep Learning”) program in Burundi, we held a child protection workshop with committee members to demonstrate how theater can be a catalyst for social change. Read more and check out the group photo here.
• 🇵🇦 In May, RET was recognized as a Strategic Ally by the Ministry of Women in Panama, specifically in the promotion of equal opportunities, empowerment, respect and fulfillment of the human rights of women. We’re deeply honored by and proud of this achievement. Read more about it here.
• 🌍 We recently celebrated the launch of the Resilient Schools and Education for Disaster Risk Reduction Course, developed with the support of the organizations that make up the Regional Education Group for Latin America and the Caribbean (GRE-LAC), UNESCO and UNICEF. RET was involved in updating and presenting three lessons, spanning Module 3 on the subject of “Safe Learning Facilities” and Module 5 about “Education for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience.” Check out the course here.

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Longer Reads

Here’s a roundup of articles we posted last month…

• 🇵🇦 When disasters strike, they often disproportionately impact Indigenous communities. But youth in Panama are working to change that dynamic by turning to traditional ecological knowledge and spreading its message online. Read how one youth, Larissa, is working to make an impact in her community.
• 🇹🇷 Our Community Center in Çorum is quickly becoming known for its comprehensive psycho-social support workshops, which are aimed at fostering the social, cultural, professional, physical, and mental development and well-being of school-age children, young people, and women. Recently, we used art to bring together communities. How? Click here to read the full story.

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That’s it for this edition of Catch Up with RET, but before we close…

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Until next time!