New WhatsApp chatbot puts Human Rights learning resources for children into educator’s hands
Play Africa has launched a new WhatsApp chat service to make playful lessons for children about human rights accessible to educators anywhere
Save the number +27 600 42 0000 as a contact and then sending a WhatsApp with the word PLAY to the number.
Johannesburg (March 21 2022) — A new WhatsApp chat service launched on Human Rights Day 2022 is putting Play Africa’s My Constitution human rights lessons and resources directly into the hands of educators.
Play Africa is Southern Africa’s pioneering children’s museum based at the iconic Constitution Hill. Play Africa was just named a finalist for Best Rising NGO in South Africa in the inaugural CSI Legacy Awards, a showcase of leading NGOs adjudicated by CSRNews. Play Africa’s active citizenship programmes promote South Africa’s Constitution and democracy for a new generation.
Educators can now easily access Play Africa’s educational materials from anywhere on their mobile phone to enliven and enrich classroom learning about human rights and more, all through playful activities and participative dialogue.
The chatbot launches on WhatsApp, the world’s largest and most accessible chat platform, with Play Africa’s just released new, original curriculum called My Constitution.
“Again and again, teachers observing the programme asked us to find ways to reach learners at every school across the country,” said Play Africa CEO Gretchen Wilson-Prangley. “We realised that creating free, easy-to-adapt curriculum resources for educators would replicate our programme at scale, and help empower exponentially more children with knowledge of their rights.”
The easy-to-use toolkit aims to strengthen South African learners’ knowledge of the Constitution, how to participate in a democracy and human rights, with a particular focus on children’s rights and girls’ rights.
Human Rights Day honours those who lost their lives in the fight for democracy, particularly during the Sharpeville Massacre of 21 March 1960. On that day, police opened fire on a group of peaceful protestors marching against the apartheid pass laws, killing 69 protestors and injuring 180 people more.
“Human Rights Day is a day in which South Africans reflect deeply on their rights and so we are pleased to be launching our WhatsApp service to educators at this time,” says Wilson-Prangley. “The first curriculum available on the Play Africa chatbot is called My Constitution, which includes playful lessons that introduce the Bill of Rights – the very ‘soul’ of the Constitution.” “Children of today were not alive to remember the struggle for democracy, nor the signing of the Constitution, so we must make the Constitution and what it means come alive for a new generation. We use play to teach learners from a young age about the Constitution, their rights, and how to participate in a democratic society.”
My Constitution is the first resource available on the Play Africa WhatsApp service at launch together with a helpdesk function that offers a way for educators to engage with the Play Africa team, ask questions and receive personalised answers about the materials.
The chatbot will grow over time to include other lessons and resources that help educators to engage playful learning activities which complement existing South African school curricula.
Any educator in South Africa can access the Play Africa chatbot by saving the number +27 600 42 0000 as a contact and then sending a WhatsApp with the word PLAY to the number.
Alternatively click https://wa.me/27600420000 or scan the QR code below to start chatting.
