Today my class went to Africa. Via a speaker who has been to the continent 28 times on goodwill missions to bring schools, safe drinking water, and other supplies to people in several countries. He has visited Kenya, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and others, and shares his experiences with schoolchildren of all ages to help raise awareness of the issues being faced by the people who live there.
The presentation started out with a slideshow that showed the children how large Africa is (China, the U.S. and several other countries can fit inside its boundaries with room to spare), the various countries, different tribal groups, animals, and some of the challenges the children face (malnutrition, inadequate diet, poor healthcare, and very limited access to schooling and education).
We had quite a discussion about how the lives of American children are different from most African children and the things people in more developed countries take for granted (like running water, electricity, and having more than one or two outfits to wear).
The second part of the presentation was a hands-on exploration. Our guest brought along items from his travels, including a sleeping mat and wooden neck holder that several students tried out, musical instruments made from seed pods and shells, jewelry made of bone and wood, toys made from tin cans, grass mats, and wooden sculpture. Some of the children modeled the things that could be worn while others made an impromptu band. It was noisy, but fun! Once the pictures are downloaded, I'll post a few.
I think it's important for children to realize that there are others less fortunate than themselves. We read for organizations like Scholastic cares, and donate items through our school's many drives for the needy. I'm always trying to set an example of goodwill toward others because we never know when we may be on the receiving end of someone else's goodwill. With programs like the one we had today, we can also raise awareness of world need.
Like our visitor said today, "Someone in this room may the person who cures malaria or thinks of ways to help end hunger."
We can only plant the seeds.
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