|
|
|
What can we do?
Part Sixteen A better world is possible
Children often ask what they can do to make a difference. So, here are some ideas about how to get involved.
Volunteer
There is lack of literacy in our country. Find out which organizations are helping people to learn and find out what you can do to help. Another way to go about it is to educate at least one child/person around you. You can do it!
Write letters gets petitions signed
Write letters to alert government officials, newspaper editors, local business leaders, producers of television news programmes, etc. of the knowledge you have gained about the root causes of illiteracy and what can be done locally or nationally to eliminate it. Writing letters demonstrates that when people with a common purpose combine their skills and energies the results are magnified. Even while you are educating others, it is also important to write letters to the people mentioned above because this can often lead to getting policies changed. If you can get government officials and members of the media talking about their ideas then you will have a better chance at winning support for your cause and possibly getting laws changed or instituted to improve people's lives. Some topics include: poverty, homelessness, hunger, unemployment, environmental protection, discrimination, the media's role, etc.
Give testimony
Young people have two distinct advantages over adults when it comes to testifying before legislative bodies…they stand out in the usual crowd of adults, and committee members know that children have no vested interest in getting a particular law passed other than their own passionate belief that the law will protect people or their natural surroundings. Helping shape legislation this way is an extremely empowering and exciting experience for young people. It can set the foundation for a lifetime of activism and community involvement. There is a great deal of preparation that must be undertaken in order to give effective testimony.
Note: It is essential that you and your fellow classmates or friends research your issue thoroughly before approaching the City Government.
As you learn more, develop and teach through workshops to students in other classes and other schools.
Fundraising:Hold a Mela
Students and their families can get their books, used clothes, tapes or handicrafts together to sell. Ask them to donate part or all of their profits to a particular cause.
Hold this event around Eid, Christmas, Diwali, etc. Give it an international theme. Charge admission.
Walk and/or read
Collect pledges from family, friends and community members for each hour or mile students walk, or for each book read.
Show your talent
Hold a student-faculty talent show. Sell tickets. Advertise the event. Donate the proceeds
Play
Compete for the benefit of others. Choose a sport and invite the rest of the school as well as parents to watch and cheer. Sell tickets or charge admission.
Read poems
Hold a poetry reading. Get students or family members to volunteer to read their own or other's poems related to illiteracy, hunger, homelessness, discrimination, etc. Ask for donations.
Paint
Work in pairs on at least ten fabric panels. Illustrate each depicting a central theme or a favorite scene. When all the panels are finished, have students and teachers or parents sew them together in quilt form. Hang the quilt in the school lobby and auction it off. Donate the money
Give up your birthday gift
On birthdays students can ask parents, friends and grand-parents to make a donation to a special organisation instead of buying a gift. Students can do the same for other people's birthdays. Make up a card for the birthday person explaining that a donation was made in honour of his/her birthday to a local organisation. Explain how the organisation works.
We hope that you will email/post your accomplishments to us so we can all learn from each other.
|
|
|
|
