Wriggling out of poverty? - PDF document

ive iffently! Wriggling out of poverty? RE/RME: charity, value of each individual PHSE/PSD/PSE/Citizenship/ESDGC global awareness, participation,responsibilities, work of community-based,national and international voluntary groups Geography/Environmental Studies environmental issues, interdependence Primary and secondary assemblies and class activities support learning through: Introduction Pupils will learn about Pamfilo, and the work of Christian Aid partner RDI (Rural Development Institute) Leyte in the Philippines. RDI helps farmers tomake small changes to their work,bringing about a huge difference to theirharvests. We also discover how farmersexperience injustices at the market ÔfairnessÕ in their own lives. My name is Pamfilo and IÕm a ricefarmer living in the Philippines. Along with other farmers, it픀s beento get a fair price for our rice. Thegovernment also want us to buy ouruse chemical fertilisers on our crops.These are both so expensive that wehave to take out loans for them whichTo make matters worse, sometimesthe local traders cheat us by weighingcrops wrongly. And rich landownerscan just take our land and crops, andlittle is done to stop them.getting a lot better thanks to a localorganisation Ð and a quarter of a kilo Christian Aid, a charity in the UK andcalled RDI Leyte who provided me PamfiloÕs story How do the worms help? Firstly, Then after theyÕve digested the left-overs, they leave behind whatÕs calledtiliser. The worm casts help my cropsto grow bigger and stronger, and now even have some crops left over. I canpatch and I make enough money tohildren to school. though. They encourage us to use our knowledge of local organic seedsbetter harvests andare cheaper. I am now a communityencouraging everyone to startprogramme. That initial quarter of produced 547kg of compost so far. make you wealthier and healthier? This publication is environmentally printed with vegetable-based inks on Revive matt,containing a minimum of 70 per cent de-inked waste paper © Christian Aid, July 2006 igglingutofovery? Primary assembly You will need: repared A4 cards with either words or, preferably, symbols for sun, rain, soil, seeds, fertiliser, skill, justice three volunteers Ð one narrator, and two to play Pharaoh and Joseph fancy dress Ð headpiece for Pharaoh, colourful coat for Joseph Presentation Narrator reads Pamfilo픀s story.) o, lots of things affect Pamfilo픀s harvest in good and badways, from tiny worms to government laws. cards again. Explain that farmers in the Philippines haveall of these, but their government advises them to useseeds that are not always the best for where they live.RDI, on the other hand, encourages farmers to trust theirskills and knowledge of which seeds grow well. Theyhave also started to produce organic fertiliser, made byworms, which turn vegetable waste into compost. that this means being fair and you can픀t have a happyharvest if farmers are treated unfairly or worried about:taking out loans just to buy seeds and fertilisertrying to pay back loans when they have no moneyheated by market traders heated by rich landowners who take advantageof farmers when they don픀t know their rights to land.farmers like Pamfilo can produce harvests based onnatural gifts of sun, rain, soil, seeds and fertiliser Ð notse! They are encouragingfarmers to share their expert knowledge and are workingalongside communities to improve their villages. Farmersharvest. Just like Joseph, they need to be in charge ofay out of poverty. This material may be used for education purposes, but for wider distribution or commercial gain, permission must behools and Youth team, 2006.Christian Aid, July 2006 Ask the children why we celebrate harvest. What happensduring harvest festival? Explain that all over the world,years. Explain that farmers have to plan ahead to makecommunities to survive. Ask the children how farmersthis. Then ask your volunteers to read: Narrator There픀s a Bible story which shows that planningahead is important. In biblical times, an EgyptianPharaoh had a strange dream and needed Joseph (yes, he of the technicolour dreamcoat) to advise him. Pharaoh fat ears of corn were gobbled up by seven weedy ears ofcorn. What does it mean? Joseph Famine, no food, starvation. Phar What can I do? oseph Easy: put me in charge and listen to my sevenhints for a happy harvest. Narrator So, the Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of foodproduction. And he planned ahead so there was enoughto eat and the people of Egypt survived! Now ask the children if they can name Joseph픀s hints forhappy harvest. Ask volunteers to hold up the first sixbut not the justice onebut not the justice onevite suggestions forwhat each card represents, and how each may help to Sun plants need light and warmth Water plants need water Soil different plants grow in different types of soil Seeds obviously, but is important these are healthy Fertiliser fertilisers like worm casts), some less so (eg chemicals) Skill Remind your pupils that there is a seventh, which isrevealed by looking at Pamfilo픀s story. ator re going to hear about Pamfilo and Reflection farmers struggle to grow good crops and can픀t get decent price at the market. We may think that we difference. But think of those worms Ð they have the power to turn waste into wealth. If we all do we can make a difference. reyoulayingbytherles? Presentation Ask if anyone has heard of Harry Houdini. Explain that he was a world-famous escapologist in the early 20th century. During his act he would be chained andpadlocked, and often immersed in water Ð but of coursewould always make a dramatic escape in the nick He was able to conceal small keys about his body, and by expanding his chest and shoulders while being tiedup, he gave himself wriggle room to manoeuvre out ofthe chains.Today, many of the worldÕs farmers have to be likeHoudini to free themselves from the chains and locks ofinternational trade rules. Many struggle for daily survivaland their hopes for providing a better future for theirolunteers to come outpoverty he and many others experience. Ask volunteers to wind the string or rope around푐amfiloÕ and give them ÔpadlocksÕ to attach.Each volunteer adds a padlock as you explain each point.First, the government puts pressure on farmers to buyexpensive commercially produced seeds, thoughknow that these aren픀t nearly as goodas native varieties.Farmers are also pressured into buying chemicaltilisers, instead of using their own natural ones.Farmers have to take out loans to pay for the moreexpensive seeds and fertiliser.Meanwhile, water is sometimes in short supply.Even if farmers manage to produce enough rice for their families and some to sell at a market, theyare sometimes cheated by local traders who, forvernment to import cheaperrice from other countries. This can make it verydifficult for farmers like Pamfilo to sell their rice.픀t understand their rights. Whole communities don픀t understand or just aren픀ttold that they are entitled to better services, like water and electricity.So farmers like Pamfilo are just weighed down withdebts and difficulties. But there is hope for change.Organisations like Christian Aid are working hard to tryand unlock these chains of worry and injustice. Houdiniused keys to help him escape while, in the Philippines,RDI Leyte provides the key to a better life for Pamfilo.Start to remove some padlocks Ð volunteers can just usean unlocking gesture to suggest they are using keys Ðwith each explanation:RDI encourages farmers to use and share their expertRDI provides training to help farmers understand thelandowning laws and give them confidence to tacklevide irrigation.RDI trains farmers to organise their communities topress for their entitlement to better services.as Ôwriggle roomÕ. RDI hasprovided just that in the form of the Vermi worms whichanic fertiliser. RDI can픀t unlock all the padlocks, as some of the issuesneed action by the government of the Philippines. The worldÕs rules for international trade need changinglike Pamfilo will get a fair deal. Christianmade fairer. Secondary assembly You will need: piece of thick string or rope nine ÔpadlocksÕ Ð draw each one on an A4 sheet of card with a thick marker penolunteers Ð one to read the story, one to play Pamfilo, and others to attach the Ôchains픀 Christian Aid, July 2006 igglingutofovery? Prayer This is a trade pledge prayer used by some people who campaign for trade justice. for I long to see the end of poverty; dare to pray: Lord, let the rules be changed,dare to pray: Lord, let my life be changed, Your compassion, this promise to work for change,all things new. Peter Graystone/Christian Aid Primary activities For further activity suggestions and supporting pdfs to www.christianaid.org.uk Isitfair for us? ach pupil writes down four ÔunfairÕ situations thattheyÕve experienced on a piece of paper and pairs on whatÕs not fair. Stick all the notes on a large piece of paper. 2. Hot-seating The teacher plays Pamfilo Ð use the story and the picture (from the Background Information pdf availablewww.christianaid.org.uk) for inspirations. Tell thechildren about how hard and unfair it is being a farmerin the Philippines and how the government and richercountries play a part in this. Explain how RDI havehelped Pamfilo Ð with worms! Invite your pupils to Ôhot-seatÕ by splitting them into groups, asking eachgroup to write down five questions for Pamfilo Ð eg how does the government make it hard for you? Whator magazine article introducing Pamfilo and explaining 3. Making it fair Have a class discussion and write down Pamfilo픀s unfairxperiences. Ask pupils how these injustices affectPamfilo, and which are the most important. Ask thechildren to think back to activity 1 and their own unfairxperiences. Do these affect their survival, health oreducation in the same way? Compare the lists and makedisplay. Ask pupils to think about what they could do improve their unfair experiences. Remind them that if a little worm can make a difference to farmers likePamfilo, they can make big changes, too. Be an active citizen like Pamfilo are able to sell their exchequer, or Brian Cowan, the Irish finance minister,Schools and Youth, Christian Aid, PO Box 100, Londonamfilo recycles vegetable waste to make compostwith help from worms. Find out if your school isvolved in any recycling projects, includingcomposting projects which involve worms. Your Does your school recycle its waste? If not, you could speak to your headmaster about starting acomposting scheme.Find out more about the Trade Justice by visiting www.pressureworks.org Christian Aid, July 2006 F919L Secondary activities ther activity suggestions and supporting pdfs go to www.christianaid.org.uk 1. Right stuff called the United Nations thought it was important tohildren. Print out the list from 2. Responsibilities write these onto a big sheet of paper, or you could they think should be added to list. Ask them which ofstory and show pupils his picture (from the Background 3. Tackling the issues As community organiser, Pamfilo is helping others to get access to their rights. Ask the class to imagine theyfor the community that Pamfilo organises. Appoint a igglingutofovery?