RSN maintains two separate programs dealing with health, i.e., one dealing with good hygiene and the other with mental health

Good Hygiene

RSN’s good hygiene program is called WASH PARADE and its focus is on motivating children to wash their hands. Hand washing is a priority for all refugee children and UNHCR and most NGOs run their own WASH programs (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) that they administer to children living in refugee camps.

We decided to supplement their programs by introducing two games, JumpOut and CrashOut, that the children could play to reinforce the message of the importance of hand washing.  Game winners get a bar of soap and say they wash their hands before eating.   As well, we do music videos with the Wash Parade theme with songs such as Goodbye Germs and Welcome To the Wash Parade.  Professional football teams such as Manchester United have also helped us deliver our message.

JumpOut

JumpOut is a game in which children line up beside a rope and then have to jump from one side to the other depending on which name is called out by our reporter. Messi is one side, Ronaldo the other. Barcelona is one side, Man City the other. If a child ends up on the wrong side after the name is called, they are out. Our winner gets a bar of soap and has to say “I wash my hands before I eat.” In this way, RSN promotes good hygiene and the children learn a lesson. JumpOut videos have generate over 1 million views on our YouTube channel.

CrashOut

CrashOut is a game in which children line up in front of 5 circles and then have to jump in or out or left or right, depending on whether the words Messi, Ronaldo, Left or Right are said. The results are funny and the children laugh as much as the viewers. Just as with JumpOut, our winner gets a bar of soap and has to say “I wash my hands before I eat.” One JumpOut video alone  generated almost 100,000 views.

Mental Health

One of the most significant challenges faced by refugees is the overwhelming despair and depression caused by the harsh conditions in which they live, leading to a widespread mental health crisis in refugee camps. Unfortunately, resources to address this issue are often severely limited.

In the absence of sufficient mental health support, sports play a crucial role. The positive impact of sports activities is highlighted in many of our videos, where you can hear directly from refugees who have experienced the transformative effects of participation in these programs.