The last engagement on 24th of August started with a bang, but a gloomy kind of bang I would say. We knew it was our last day with the kids whom we have gotten close with for throughout the past three weekends, them whose noise we couldn't stand sometimes, whose smiles lit up the room, but at the same time, we wanted to end the Food Ninjas Programme with positive hearts, like a ninja would. Of course, we had to start the day with Shimy leading 'Go Bananas!', a war-cry which have became significant among the group.
Since it was the closing of a great 6 weeks of engagements, we invited the kids' parents over for a graduation ceremony during the second half of the day. Prior to that, the kids took time to complete their Food Ninja workbook with worksheets we have been giving out each engagements which contained information and outputs from each session. We wanted to make sure the kids had something to take back home after each engagement and something to refer to. We provided them with colour pencils and materials to decorate their hardcovers of their workbook.
Since it was the closing of a great 6 weeks of engagements, we invited the kids' parents over for a graduation ceremony during the second half of the day. Prior to that, the kids took time to complete their Food Ninja workbook with worksheets we have been giving out each engagements which contained information and outputs from each session. We wanted to make sure the kids had something to take back home after each engagement and something to refer to. We provided them with colour pencils and materials to decorate their hardcovers of their workbook.
Next up on the fun and informative train, we had the kids to decorate a fruit platter for their parents. It was a great innovative way to get kids pumped up to eat fruit and design the patterns and the structure their fruit platter as well. We had various kinds of cut-up fruits prepared beforehand, like watermelon slices, pieces of orange, grape, slices of starfruit and also bananas. It was really nice to see the kids let their creative juices flowing.
We had a quick game session and snack whilst waiting for their parents to arrive. Although the turn up wasn't as many as we expected due to the understandable early Sunday morning timing, but it was great that 4 parents actually came and some cousins and siblings of the kids were present as well.
The graduation ceremony started with a short introduction by Chris from the UNDP/UNOPS/UNFPA Staff Association, Charmaine from AIESEC in Sunway and Will from AIESEC UK who represented all 5 international interns to talk about their experience working on this project and how the project came about. Shortly after, we showed a video montage compiled by the interns, of what we have been doing throughout the 3 weeks. The kids got excited when they saw their own faces on screen! On top of that, we selected some of the kids to share what they've learnt throughout the engagements and what was their favourite parts. It was a good platform for them to step up and raise their opinions.
The graduation ceremony started with a short introduction by Chris from the UNDP/UNOPS/UNFPA Staff Association, Charmaine from AIESEC in Sunway and Will from AIESEC UK who represented all 5 international interns to talk about their experience working on this project and how the project came about. Shortly after, we showed a video montage compiled by the interns, of what we have been doing throughout the 3 weeks. The kids got excited when they saw their own faces on screen! On top of that, we selected some of the kids to share what they've learnt throughout the engagements and what was their favourite parts. It was a good platform for them to step up and raise their opinions.
We had the privilege to have Sharen Lim, a UKM nutritionist graduate to discuss with the parents on healthy eating and how to make healthy food attractive enough for kids to want to consume. It was nice seeing the parents engage in positive conversation about their meal preparations with Sharen and the volunteers.
After that, it was the graduation ceremony that we did. Each kid who has been to all our engagements gets a certificate of participation, a Food Ninja badge and a Ninja Bandana! They were all very excited to have their pictures taken with their bandannas and badges.
After that, it was the graduation ceremony that we did. Each kid who has been to all our engagements gets a certificate of participation, a Food Ninja badge and a Ninja Bandana! They were all very excited to have their pictures taken with their bandannas and badges.
After the ceremony ended, it was really goodbye time. We all hugged and took a lot of group pictures of commemorate 3 weekends of hard work and camaraderie. It has been a very awesome journey from hosting the soft launch and hoping there were kids on the first engagement to now, having 18 Food Ninja graduates whom we have been attached dearly to through merely 3 weekends of fun. We hope that the messages we shared stays in their minds and lifestyles.
And of course, we ended the day with a resounding 'Go Bananas!'. It would certainly be not right if we didn't.