Neoliet

The challenge

For children from underprivileged backgrounds, growing up offers fewer luxuries and the risk of educational and social disadvantages.

Participating in extracurricular activities can help in improving their self confidence and offer an assertive engagement with authority that they often lack at school environment.

In addition, it helps in shaping a "rounded character" which is evaluated later in life by employers and universities.

However, the lack of resources and the struggles emerging from their backgrounds holds the children back from experiencing such activities.

The project

Bright society joined hands with the ANBI foundation ‘Laat Ze Maar Lachen’ to plan a day-out for 40 children from Eindhoven area between 4 and 12 years old and visited the indoor climbing facility Neoliet on 26 October 2019. The objective was to make sure the children get to experience an activity that's joyful and challenging.

The Bright Moment

Bright volunteers gathered at the Student hotel in the morning along with the volunteers from Laat Ze Maar Lachen. We then moved to the train station where parents of the children started dropping them off. The children were divided into age groups, with volunteers assigned to assist each group. The children quickly acquainted with each other and drifted away to their own carefree, noisy world. Shortly after, we boarded the bus that was arranged to take us to the climbing facility. On arrival the children were wide eyed and chatty about the indoor climbing activities that were ongoing. Most children were excited exploring a climbing maze that was built into the building's wall. For few children it was a scary experience, who were given support by the volunteers.

The instructors at the facility shared the instructions to the groups on assisted climbing where the individual climber is secured by a harness while a volunteer will control the rope, aiding the climb and a safe descent. The activity helped the children to trust the volunteer and climb a challenging wall that stood tall against them.

Later, we had lunch and we returned on our way home after a long day of fun which was closed off with the volunteers gathering for a drink.