Malawi gender equality Senior Primary resource · • Rafiki – Trócaire’s CDRom featuring...

Trócaire Lenten Campaign 2007Primary School Teachers’ ResourceThird to Sixth Class/ Primary 4 to Primary 7

Inside: Letter from Mpatsa in MalawiClassroom activities and worksheetsPoster and artwork

Prayers for LentTrócaire Better World Award

MALAWIGender Equality

R9212 Senior Primary Cover 9/1/07 10:28 AM

2 Lenten Campaign 2007

ContentsPage 3 Trócaire Better World AwardPage 4 Teacher’s NotesPage 5 What is Gender?Page 6 Introductory ActivitiesPage 7 Letter from MpatsaPage 8 3rd and 4th class/P4 and P5 activitiesPage 9 3rd and 4th class/P4 and P5 worksheetPage 10 5th and 6th class/P6 and P7 activitiesPage 11 5th and 6th class/P6 and P7 worksheetPage 12 5th and 6th class/P6 and P7 activitiesPage 13 Farmers’ Meeting RoleplayPage 14 Prayer ServicePage 15 Class MassPage 16 Useful resources and addresses

Trócaire’s Lenten Campaign 2007The focus of this year’s Lenten theme is Gender Equality and the country profiled is Malawi. Our Lenten bookletsfor Pre-school, Junior Primary and Senior Primary all look at the lives of people in Malawi. Issues and activitiesaround gender equality are also included in the Senior Primary booklet (Third to Sixth class/ P4 to P7). Thematerials contain background information for the teacher on Malawi and gender, and on Trócaire’s work. Alsoincluded are a Prayer Service and Class Mass, children’s worksheets and posters. We suggest that every child use adocument folder to keep all their work from the booklet in one place. They can label it ‘Lenten Materials – Malawi’and decorate it. As is suggested in Alive-O, these materials can form part of Religion lessons during Lent e.g. theIntroductory Activities p.6 and Letter from Mpatsa p.7, or part of SPHE. Other Curriculum Areas covered include:Language, Mathematics, Geography, History, Visual Arts, Physical Education and Music.

We are again including the Trócaire Better World Award. This award is in recognition of the time and energyteachers and children put into exploring the Lenten theme. Every child who participates receives a certificate andthere are awards for groups whose entries are of special merit. As the children carry out the activities, we inviteteachers to encourage them in groups or as a whole class, to enter their work on this year’s theme.

Throughout the booklet the graphic will highlight for you ideas for entries. See page 3 for details.

Where a number of teachers are using this resource in school, additional copies are available from Trócaire free ofcharge as well as versions as Gaeilge.

Order FormI would like _________ extra copies of the 3rd to 6th class / P4 to P7 booklet

Ba mhaith liom _________ cóipeanna den leabhair do Rang 3ú go Rang 6ú / P4 go P7 as Gaeilge

Name: ____________________________________________________________________________

School Address: ____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Email address: ________________________________ Tel No. _____________________________Please send to Trócaire, 9 Cook Street, Cork or to Trócaire, 50 King St. Belfast BT1 6AD

TBWA

R9212 Senior Primary Resource 9/1/07 10:25 AM

As you work through the activities with your class, don’t forget to enter their work for the Trócaire Better WorldAward. This is a non-competitive award which recognises the work that children and teachers put intoexploring the themes each year. It is also a way to encourage children to work together collaboratively assubmissions must be a group or whole class effort.

What to do:As the children undertake the activities, keep their work or record their activities forsubmitting to the Trócaire Better World Award. To help keep track of progress, askchildren to fill in the Trócaire Better World Award poster which accompanies this pack.

Suggested Activities:• Scrapbook: collect the children’s written work from the various activities and compile

into a scrapbook e.g. letter to Mpatsa, completed worksheets from the pack, report onissues explored, art work etc.

• Projects: Project ideas suggested for 5th and 6th class/P6 and P7 are a geographyproject on Malawi and a project on men and women working to reduce inequality.They could start researching these as soon as they start working on thematerials. These can be presented in booklet or poster form. *

• Put on a display for International Women’s Day March 8th for the rest of theschool, the local church, the local library. Display posters around theConvention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) andproject work on men and women working for equality.*

• Artwork: Send in artwork, paintings, drawings or posters the children havedesigned. *

• Take photos of the children working on activities.• Video: record the children carrying out role-plays, doing art and craft work, leading the Assembly or talking about what they

have learnt.• ‘Equal Measures’: send in a description or photos of any activities completed from the Department of Education and Science

resource ‘Equal Measures’ (see back page for details).*Please note: If projects are too large to post, simply take photographs of the work and send with your entry.Photos for competitions etc. may require parental permission.

What schools will receive:Members of each group who submit an entry will receive a Trócaire Better World Award Certificate and a Trócaire Better WorldAward sticker. In addition there will be awards for groups whose entries are of special merit. These include:• A batik, depicting women at work, for the school• Rafiki – Trócaire’s CDRom featuring stories about children from around the world• Laminated Peter’s Projection wall map• Books or music CD for the classroom with a global theme

TRÓCAIRE Better World Award

3Lenten Campaign 2007

Trócaire Better World Award Entry FormSchool’s Name: ____________________________ Class: __________________________________

Names of children involved: ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Give a brief description of your entry: ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Teacher’s Name: ________________________________________________________________________

School Address: ________________________________________________________________________

Email: ____________________________________ Telephone: ____________________________

Send your class or group entry to Trócaire, 9 Cook Street, Cork or Trócaire, 50 King Street, Belfast, BT1 6AD by Friday April 27th 2007 Mark your envelope Trócaire Better World Award


Malawi is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is one of the poorest countries inAfrica and has been devastated by poverty, famine and AIDS.

90% of the population are farmers who try to feed their families on tiny plots of land. In anormal year, millions struggle to get enough to eat. Climatic extremes of droughts andfloods resulting in poor harvests have meant that many families are reduced to eating onemeal a day, usually a plate of nsima -a starchy food made of maize flour and water. Thecountry is in need of food aid every year. Most people are locked in a cycle of hunger thatleads to other problems. After a poor harvest many men leave the family to go to find workelsewhere and women are often forced to turn to prostitution to survive. This movement ofpeople increases the spread of AIDs. When harvest time comes around, people are sodesperate they can’t afford to put any aside to plant the following year and the cycle of hungerstarts again. In 2005, Malawi experienced the worst harvest in a decade. 40% of the population were in need of emergency food aid.It will take years to recover.

It is estimated that 14% of the population are infected with HIV/AIDS. Younger women are particularly affected. Four times as manywomen as men in the 15 to 19 years age group are affected by AIDS. This reflects cultural practices of older men marrying younggirls and also the widespread abuse of young women in schools and elsewhere. The problems of AIDS, poverty and famine areinterlinked. Many family providers are either too ill to work, or busy taking care of family members. Half a million children have beenorphaned. There is a shortage of medical staff due to migration, a lack of education and also because of AIDS. Malawi has just onedoctor per 100,000 people.

A national programme to tackle the problem was launched in 2004 and there is evidence that this is having some positive effects,with the prevalence dropping slightly in urban areas.

Many children, particularly girls, are withdrawn from school to look after sick relatives, to carry out household chores or to earn anincome. Three times as many girls as boys have no formal education and only 30% of girls and 40% of boys go to primary school. TheMillennium Development Goals as agreed by the world’s leaders in 2000, recognise both education and gender disparities as beingkey to addressing poverty in Malawi and at global level.

(Sources: UNICEF and UNDP)

Brief history of MalawiMalawi gained independence from Britain in 1964. For 30 years the country was ruled by a totalitarian president, Kamuzu Banda. Thepeople suffered human rights abuses and repression under his rule. International and domestic pressure led to the first multi partyelections in 1994. Bakili Muluzi was elected president at that time, and there were accusations of widespread corruption during histime in office. Since President Bingu Wa Mutharika took office in 2004, vowing to take a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, thesedifficulties seem to have been reduced and international support for Malawi has increased.

What Trócaire is doingThe empowerment of women and the elimination of gender inequalities is a distinct focus for Trócaire’s work in the developingworld. Gender based violence has a major impact on huge numbers of women in the developing world, particularly in emergencies,and is a major source of suffering and injustice. Often, a lot of the consequences of chronic poverty fall squarely on the shoulders ofwomen and girls. In Malawi 90% of the population is rural and most of the farmers are women. Rural households headed by womenare the poorest in the country. Women have limited access to training and credit. Trócaire supports local Non GovernmentOrganisations (NGOs) in Malawi. Many of them are community groups where women are given skills training and education. Thisenables women to support each other and gain confidence in knowing their rights and entitlements.Trócaire also supportsinnovative agriculture programmes which distribute seeds for more drought resistant crops. Farmers are trained in farming methodsand can sell surplus crops for cash. Many families have benefited from global gifts of tools, seeds and goats. Malawi is a prioritycountry for Irish Aid.


Background notes for the teacher

Facts on MalawiArea: 118,484 sq km (20% of surface covered by lakes)Population: 12.6 million Capital: LilongweCurrency: 1 Malawi Kwacha = 100 Tambala Religion: Christianity: 75%, Islam:15%.Languages: English and Chichewa (both official languages)Life Expectancy at birth: 37.8 years (Ireland: 76.9 years)

GDP per capita: US$580 (Ireland: US$36,360)Poverty Ranking: 165th of 177 countriesSchool Enrolment: Primary: 79%; in the final year of primary school only 25% ofstudents are female.Literacy: 62% of the population 15 years and older can read and write. 76% of menand 49% of women are literate.



What is ‘gender’?People are born female or male, but learn to be girls and boys who grow into women and men. They are taught what the ‘right’behaviour and attitudes, roles and activities are for them, and how they should relate to other people. This learned behaviour is whatmakes up gender identity and determines gender roles.

Gender therefore is not about physical differences between men and women. It refers to the different jobs and roles that areexpected of men and women in different societies. In some countries these roles are changing. For example in Ireland in the 1950swhen women got married they were not allowed to work. It was felt that their main function was to stay at home and take care ofchildren. In many countries women do not share power equally with men – worldwide, there are more men than women ingovernment and in leadership roles.

The UN’s Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), was adopted in 1979. It is a list of rules forcountries to make sure that women have the same rights as men and are not discriminated against (treated unfairly). 185 countriesin the world have agreed to make the rules, or articles, in this convention legal.

Gender

Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against WomenSome of these are:Article 1: Discrimination against women is when women are denied their human rights

just because they are women.

Article 2: It is illegal to discriminate against women.

Article 3: Women’s human rights are to be respected.

Article 4: Countries shall make special laws to make sure women and men are treated equally.

Article 6: Women should not be sold as slaves or forced to be prostitutes.

Article 7: Women have equal rights as men to vote, to be elected and to be part of governmentsand organisations.

Article 8: Women and men should have equal chance to represent their governments outside theirown countries.

Article 9: Women have the same rights as men to their nationality and to change their own or theirchildren’s nationality.

Article 10: Women and men are to have equal access to education.

Article 11: Women should have the same rights in the workplace as men, including equal pay, choiceof job, health protection, and shouldn’t be discriminated against when they marry or havechildren.

Article 12: Women should get the same health care as men and should receive special services formaternal health.

Article 13: Women and men should have the same rights to bank loans, house loans and be allowedto take part in the same sports and recreation.

Article 14: Special care should be taken to make sure that women living in rural areas have goodliving conditions, health care and education.

Article 15: Women should have the same legal rights in all areas for example owning or selling property.

Article 16: Men and women should have the same rights in marriage – to choose marriage freely,equal rights and responsibilities towards children, and the same rights to property.

Remember the M.D.G.s? Millennium Development Goals

In 2000, world leaders met at a United Nations meeting. They set themselves 8 goals aimed at halving world poverty by 2015.Our government was one of the first to sign the M.D.G.s. Go to www.trocaire.ie for more information

M.D.G. 3: by 2015 make sure that as many girls as boys go to school


Girls’ Toys/Boys’ Toys?Aim: To help children examine theirassumptions about girls’/boys’ toys.

You will need: A big sheet of sugarpaper for each group with fourcolumns headed ‘Girls’ ,‘Boys’ ,‘Girlsand Boys’ ,‘No one’; glue. Pictures oftoys from magazines or catalogues.

To do: In groups of three or four, children sortthe pictures and stick them into the columns on the paper

Discuss: Were there any disagreements between boys andgirls as to where the toys should be placed? Why?From where do we get the notions of ‘boy’s’ and ‘girl’s’ toys?(Advertisements? Adults? )Why are some toys popular with both girls and boys?Talk about how babies don’t show a preference for ‘girls’ or‘boys’ toys. Explain that we are all born male or female butas we grow older we learn from other children, adults andT.V. programmes what way girls and boys are expected tobehave. Ask children to think of other ways that boys andgirls learn different roles.

Exploring gender Aim: that the childrenwill see how work,income and propertyare divided betweenmen and women.

You will need: 30sheets of A4 paper withspades drawn on 10, €

on another 10 and houses on another 10. Photocopies ofpage 5 for each child (5th6th/P6P7 only; with youngerclasses read out and discuss some articles.)

To do: Ask for ten children torepresent the male (5) and female(5) population. If your class issingle-sex, ask for half to representthe other sex, make sure they’relabelled.Explain that the first 10 sheets(spades) represent the number ofhours worked in the world. Ask thestudents to guess how many sheetsthey think represents the amountof work done by men/women.After discussion, distribute thesheets as described below whichreflects the reality.Girls = 7 spades, Boys = 3 spades(A lot of work carried out by girls/women, though essentialis undervalued and unpaid)

Repeat this process for income and propertyIncome: girls = €1, boys = €9Property: give the boys all the houses except for one littlecorner of one page that is given to the girls.(the world’s women own less than one-hundredth of theworld’s property)

Discuss: How do you feel about how things are divided? Doyou think it’s fair? What kinds of work do you think thatgirls/women do that is unpaid?What do you think could be done to make the world a fairerplace for everyone? Explain that men and women around the world are tryingto make sure that everyone is treated equally. IntroduceCEDAW (page 5): explain that countries around the worldhave agreed to make laws in their country to make surethat men and women are treated fairly. Read out Articles 7,10,11 and 12 as examples.

In pairs, children may choose one Article of theCEDAW and draw a poster to illustrate it. Put on adisplay on the school notice board or in the local

church.

MappingExplain to the class thatmany of the activities in thepack will be looking at equalitybetween men and women. They will alsobe learning more about Malawi and the problems facing thepeople living there. Ask children to find Malawi in their atlas.Draw an outline of the country, include Lake Malawi and writein the countries that border it.

Walking DebateAim: To explore furtherideas and assumptions around gender

You will need: Two A4 pages with the words ‘I Agree’‘Idisagree’, stuck on opposite walls of the classroom.

To Do: The pupils stand in the centre of the room. Explain thatyou will call out a sentence and they are to move towards thesign that shows their response. Ask a few pupils at each sign toexplain why they chose to stand in that place. Followingdiscussion, pupils may wish to change their opinion.

Statements: Girls are better at minding young children than boys.Girls shouldn’t be allowed to play in boys football leagues.Boys shouldn’t play with dolls. Men can’t iron. Boys are better atsport. There are certain jobs that women can’t do.

Further Ideas:See ‘Equal Measures’ Book 3 for more activitiesthat explore gender issues


Introductory Activities

TBWATBWA


Letter from Malawi

Lenten Campaign 2007 7

Dear Friend,Greetings to you and your family. My name is Mpatsa Lofiani, I am 9 years old and I live ina small village in Malawi. An Irish person who works for Trócaire came to my house andsaid she wanted to tell Irish children all about my life, so here’s my story.

I live in a one roomed house with my three bigger sisters, Otria who is 18, Tifeleziti, whois 15 and Nlirawanu who is 27. Nlirawanu just moved back home a few weeks ago andbrought her three children with her. My father died before I was born, he had a diseasecalled TB. My mother had to work very hard after he died taking care of us all. Thenwhen I was 6 years old, she got sick. She couldn’t afford to go to the doctor or thehospital, so my older sister, Otria took care of her at home. She would get up very early inthe morning and collect the firewood and water and also did some work for people in ourvillage so that we could buy food. I prayed every day that my mother would get better, but shejust got weaker and weaker. I still get sad when I remember the day that she died. All our relationscame to her funeral. The next day our neighbours burned down our little house. It is a tradition in ourcountry when both parents die the house is burned to release their souls to heaven.

Otria built a house for us on some waste ground nearby. Even though she was only 15 years old at the time, she knew how to weavethe thin sticks into walls and cover them in mud. I don’t know what your house is like, but if you close your eyes I will help you to getan idea of where I live. It is round, there are no windows, so once we go in through the small door it’s very dark. Wait a few seconds foryour eyes to get used to the dark then have a look around. There’s not much to see really. The floor is just made from dried mud. I wishwe had some cover on the ground because we sleep there and sometimes there are worms in the mud that get into my skin. There isa clothes line going across the room, and we use those clothes that are hanging there as blankets at night time. The big blankethanging on the wall covers all the family at night. Even though it can get very hot during the day, night times can be very cold. Weown 7 pots and pans and a big cooking pot for cooking nsima – that’s like the porridge we eat- it’s made from maize flour. We use themaize cobs as firewood. Our kitchen is just a fire outside. Let’s go back out into the sunshine.

So that’s where I live, there’s not much room for 7 people. After our mother died our neighbours stopped talking to us and didn’t helpus out much. Otria told me not to be sad about it because it was just because they felt bad that they couldn’t afford to give us food orhelp. I could see she was upset about it though and it was a very hard time for us, feeling sad for our mother and trying to stay alive.Most days we only eat one meal in the evening, and on really bad days nothing at all. It’s very hard to keep going when your stomachis empty.

I started going to school in January. I really like it especially because I used to be left at home on my own while the others went to school.I get up at 6 am and walk 3km to school with my sisters. School starts at 7.30 and finishes at 12 every day. I like learning to write best ofall.When I get home I sweep the floor while my sisters collect water and firewood and prepare the meal.When all the work is done I playwith my friends. Bethsita, my best friend, is 10.We play netball and jinga jinga.We get big elastic bands and tie them all together then twogirls put them around their ankles. Everyone else takes it in turn to jump in and out of the elastics, and after every turn, the girls with theelastics around their ankles move them up higher.We have really good fun playing that game. At 7 in the evening, if there is enough foodwe might eat again, but usually we go to sleep and wait for the sun to rise and for another day to begin.

Things have been hard for my family since our parents died but I think things will get better soon. My oldest sister has joined a localwomen’s group. In the next few months she will be given seeds to plant and maybe chickens. So hopefully next year we will have foodto eat and even some left over to sell. I dream that I will finish Primary school and maybe go on to Secondary school.

I would love to hear about your country and what your life is like there.

Your friend,Mpatsa

Questions:3rd 4th/ P4P5:What is Mpatsa’s house made from? Who built the house they are living in? What is the main food they eat every day? What are her hopes for the future? How is Mpatsa’s life the same as / different from yours?

5th 6th/P6P7:What rights does Mpatsa not have? Look at the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child at www.trocaire.ie/education.Why was their family home destroyed? Make a list of the work which the girls have to do.Trócaire supports the women’s group that Mpatsa’s sister is going to join. How do you think things will change for the familyafter she joins the group?Go to the Global Gift section of the Trócaire website to see how other people’s lives have been changed by the gifts. Look forprojects that particularly help women or girls and discuss why Trocaire sees these projects as being important.Read out the stories of the people in the Trócaire poster (written on the back of the poster).


Project idea: See page 10 for ideas on project work.

LanguageTeach the children the following words of Chichewa

Goodbye – NdapitaHow are you? – Muli bwangi?I am fine - Ndili bwinoPlease – ChondeThank you (very much) – Zikomo (Kwambiri)What is your name? – Dzina lanu ndani?My name is_____________ - Dzina langa ndi _____________How old are you? – Muli ndi zaka zingatiSorry – Pepani

LanguageStrand: OralRead out the following Malawian proverbs and ask children to thinkof similar Irish proverbs they may know.

Tsokonombwe anatha mtunda ndi kudumpha – Hurry hurry is not a speed.Literal translation: Tsokonombwe is an animal who walks very slowlybut always reaches its destination by jumping.

Chikomekome cha mkuyu mkati muli nyerere – Don’t judge a book by its cover.Literal translation: mkuyu is a fig fruit with ants inside

Kunena kwa ndithe ndithe anazitengera nanthambwe – Think before you speak.Literal translation: The nanthambwe is a small animal who never stopstalking – refers to talking out of turn or finishing others sentences

Timba sachepa ndi mazira ake – Believe in yourself /protect yourself,don’t let others take advantage of you.Literal translation: Timba is a small bird who controls its territory andeggs (mazira)

LanguageStrand: Writing Strand Unit: Clarifying thought1. Read the letter from Mpatsa on page 7. Invite the children to writea letter to Mpatsa telling her about their life, family, school, hobbies,friends, hopes for the future.

2. In groups, design a poster or booklet telling &illustrating Mpatsa’s life. Include children’s suggestions fortheir hopes and wishes for their own futures andMpatsa’s future.

Visual ArtsStrand: Drawing Strand unit: Making drawings

You will need: Photocopies of the photos on the poster, sheets ofdrawing paper, markers or crayons.

To do: Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5. Give each group aphotograph and display the full poster. Read out the descriptions onthe back of the poster and ask the children to identify theaccompanying photographs.Then ask each child to draw what theythink happened just before and just after the photographs were taken.

Physical Education Strand: Games Strand Unit:Creating and playing gamesPlayground Game: Jinga jinga(elastics)

You will need: Length ofelastics 3m long and 3cm widetied together to make a loop.

To do: Explain that ‘elastics’ is agame played in many countries. In Malawi, Mpatsa and herfriends call it ‘Jinga Jinga’. Divide the class into groups ofthree. Two children stand inside the elastics so that it is fairlytaut around their ankles. The third child jumps in and out ofthe elastics while all three chant the rhymes. If the childsuccessfully completes all jumps, the height of the elastics israised to the knees, then thighs then chest.

Encourage children to create their own version of the gameand a rhyme to accompany it.

DramaStrand: Drama to explore feelings, knowledge and ideasleading to understanding

Strand Unit: Exploring and making drama

Aim: That the children will understand the relationshipbetween role and character and also try to imagine whatlife might be like for the people in the poster

You will need: Photocopies of the photos from the poster

To do: distribute the photos and display the poster.Encourage the children to recall what they know about thepeople in the poster or read out the descriptions. Inviteindividual children to take on the role of one personfeatured and encourage the rest of the class to interviewthem. Encourage the children to use their imaginations toget into role.

ReligionAlive-O 6 Term 2 Lesson 6: Lesson on Lent - the Trócairebox could compliment the ‘fast box’ idea. Talk with thechildren about the things in their lives that they could dowithout…do they think Mpatsa would have much she coulddo without?

Alive-O 6 Term 3 Lesson 7: St. Canaire – “Jesus healed andtaught and loved everyone – women and men”.


3rd and 4th class P4 and P5 Activities

Jingle Jangle Centre Spangle

Jingle Jangle Out!

TBWATBWA


9

Wordsearch

Lenten Campaign 2007

6.00 am: Gets up and hangs up the clothesand blankets. Walks 3 km to school

7.30 – 12.00: School dayChichewa languageMathematicsEnglish

12.00: Walks back home. Sweeps the room.Helps sister to get meal ready

3.00: Eats meal – nsima (porridge made from maize flour)

4.00: Goes outside to play with herfriends. Plays jinga jingas (elastics)and netball using ball they madefrom old plastic bags.

7.00 pm: Goes to sleep

Mpatsa’s day My day

Close your eyes and imagine your life afteryou finish school. In the bubbles below

write down what you hope for yourself andwhat you hope the future will bring Mpatsa.

B U Y Q S V D O X S S Q A U LR N S M F D I P F T C R E Z R U O S D O U N H F M P Q O V N R H G N W H A I F A C A U K A I Z Y Q R G G Q M L V X O F L X Z O Y G L T A M A T X R W K L M F J A J I B M W B I V N I E O A B V T Y I K I C H H Z R K F O L O C S B U A Q Z J K J G L M H A N K K E T R S F Y Y G P N A C R X P L E I G Y L J W L D R M S I M A I Z E D I Q N Z T W C V P A I A I R O M E V T V R E G N U H W I P N A IN E T B A L L J K O F B Q F A

3rd and 4th Class/ P4 and P5 Worksheet

MALAWI NSIMA MAIZE AFRICA HUNGER

SCHOOL MALARIA FAMILY GLOBAL GIFTS NETBALL

My hopes for me...

My hopes forMpatsa...


Project Ideas1. Integrated Theme: Geography, History, Language (Writing),SPHE.

Aim: that the children will give a presentation on a person whohas worked to improve the lives of women. The report can be oralin the form of a news report, or written with illustrations in abooklet or on a poster.

To do: Ask pupils to think of men and women or groups whosework to ensure gender equality has improved the lives of menand women. Suggest the following:

Muhammed Yunus: founder of the Grameen Bank who wasrecently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work lendingmoney which has helped women in particular. Grameen Bankslend money to those who cannot get loans, especially women.www.grameen.-info.org

Rosa Parks: who worked for civil rights in America.www.henry.k12.ga.us/pges/instruction/kid-pages/women/Rosa.html

SESE Geography Strand: Human environments

Strand Unit: People and other lands

Aim: That the children will study aspects of Malawi and the livesof the people and present it in project form.

You will need: information from this booklet, access to thefollowing websites:www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/indexwww.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malawi

To do: Research Malawi under the following headings:Location, languages, customs and traditions, clothes, play andpastimes, major features of the natural environment, homes andsettlements, similarities and differences between Malawi andIreland.

SESE: HistoryStrand: Eras of Change and Conflict

Strand Unit: The Great Famine

Aim: The children will examine, compare and contrast the causesand effects of the Irish famine with famine in Africa.

You will need: Copies of the worksheet on page 11 for eachgroup. This activity could be completed as a stand alone activityor as part of more indepth study of the Irish Famine.

To do: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4.Distribute copies of the worksheet to every group. Discuss thephotograph on the page. Encourage them to describe theclothing, living conditions and to try to imagine the feelings ofthe people involved. When every group has completed thewritten work, discuss the findings as a class.

Ask: What effect would a potato blight have on Ireland today?Are most of the Malawi farmers men or women? Even though most of the farmers are women, they aren’treceiving the same training or help as men.Explain that NGOs like Trócaire are now making sure that womenas well as men get training in new farming methods. One projectwhich Trócaire funds shows farmers how to grow crops that arehardier than maize and don’t need as much rain to grow.


5th & 6th Class/P6 and P7 Activities

MathsStrand: Data Strand Unit: Representing andInterpreting

Aim: That the children will be able to collect,organise and present data about genderissues from around the world

To Do: Review terms pie charts, pictograms,bar charts.Write up the following facts and figures on the blackboard andinvite suggestions from the children as to how to present theinformation on a chart.World population: 51% women 49% menWorld working hours: women:70% men:30%World food production: women 50% men 50%World Income: women: 10% men 90%World property: women: <1% men 99.9%Illiterate people: women 75% men 25%Parliament seats: women 14% men 86%

The information can be displayed alongside the postersfrom CEDAW take photo of the display and include aspart of your TBWA entry.

SPHE Strand: Myself and the Wider World

Strand Unit: Media Education

Aim: That the children will recognise how the media portrays men,women and children.

You will need: Selection of newspapers, large sheet of paperdivided into sections as follows,

To do: Divide the class into groups of 4/5. Give each group aselection of newspapers and worksheet. Ask each group to lookthrough the newspapers and fill in the the information on theworksheetDiscuss: Who is most represented? What kinds of activities are theydoing? (active/passive) Do you think it is a true representation ofwhat actually happens?

LanguageStrand: Writing Strand Unit: Clarifying thought

Write a report on the issues you have been working on forthe school/parish newsletter or the school website.Include photographs in your report.

International Women’s Day March 8thMake a display for International Women’s Day and decide onactivities to mark the day e.g. invite a speaker to school, make apresentation for Assembly. See ‘Equal Measures’ Book 3 Exemplar 14for background and activities on International Women’s Day. Go towww.internationalwomensday.com for more information

Name of newspaper Men Women

Number of photos

What are they doing?

TBWATBWA

TBWATBWA


11

Famine then and now – Ireland and MalawiSource A‘It began with a blight of the potato crop that left acre upon acre of Irish farmlandcovered with black rot. As harvests across Europe failed, the price of food soared. Ourfarmers found their food stores rotting in their cellars, the crops they relied on topay the rent to the landlords destroyed.’

Source B“There’s just nothing growing. Looking around, the entire landscape is dry andbarren. We only have enough food for the most severely affected people, butwhen we deliver the rations, we look at the rest of the population and think,‘How many more are going to die until we have enough to feed you all?’”

Source CThe government has also been accused of mismanaging the country’s foodstocks, having sold a large quantity of corn to Kenya last year when there was asurplus.

Source D‘…many Irish criticise Britain’s delayed response (to Ireland’s famine)- and furtherblame centuries of British political oppression on the underlying causes of the famine.’

Source EAlmost a million people in the country are HIV positive. As parents and breadwinners fall ill anddie, there are more and more orphans and sick people to care for, but fewer and fewer healthy adults to work the fields orearn a living.*See Sources Box below

Fill in the table below using the information from the above sources.

Lenten Campaign 2007

Think about itIt is obvious that making sure there is enough food is a major issue in Malawi. 90% of the population live in the

countryside. Most of the farmers are women. Families headed by women are among the poorest in the country.Women have less access than men to training programmes or credit.

Malawi IrelandWrite in which sources refer tofamine in each country

What are the human causesfor the famines?

What are the environmentalcauses of the famine?

Discuss:Do you think that organisationsworking to help prevent famine

in Malawi should make surewomen are part of the process?

Why/Why not?

5th and 6th class / P6 and P7 Worksheet

Sources BoxA: Rev. Séan Ryan, Clare, June 1849B: Red Cross worker, Dec 27th 2002C: BBC news 2002D: Helen Murphy, Teacher, Cork 1848E: Christian Aid 2006


Gender Equality in the Primary ClassroomCarry out a gender survey in your school each day for a week. (This activity is only suitable for a mixedschool, in single sex schools encourage children to compile an audit for home.) Record your findings.

1.Organisation of pupils (circle your answer)Are boys and girls mixed when:

lining up Yes / No forming teams in P.E. Yes / No working in groups Yes / No

2. Organisation of space : (circle your answer)Are boys and girls sitting together? Yes/No If not, how are they organised? ________________________________

Do boys and girls share the same play area? Yes/No If not, where do girls play? ____________________________________

where do boys play? ________________________________________

Are boys’ and girls’ work displayed equally? Yes/No If not, how are they displayed? ________________________________

3.Textbooks - look at some of your textbooks to check who is doing what tasks and fill in the table:

4. Organisation of tasks in the classroomFill in the following table by ticking the boxes to show who does what tasks in your classroom (the children should add other tasks to the list)

Are tasks shared equally between boys and girls? Yes/NoGive reasons for your answer ______________________________________________________________________________________

5.Suggest changes which would make the organisation of your classroom more equal:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Follow on Activity: See ‘Equal Measures’ Book 2 for ideas on carrying out a gender audit of the school yard.


5th and 6th Class/ P6 and P7 Activities

Name of textbook Tasks done by males Tasks done by females Tasks done by males & females

carries heavy items

takes messages to Principal or other classes

cleans the classroom

tidies up

waters the plants

Task Boys Girls

Role Play: Who goes to school?Aim: To explore how girls and boys have unequal access toeducation

To do: Ask the children to write down three reasons why they likeand three reasons why they don’t like going to school. Divide theclass into groups of 5. Ask each group to share their reasons, toagree 3 reasons for and 3 reasons against and to record these. Eachgroup then feeds back to the whole class as the teacher records theresponses. Now discuss the reasons which were most popular.

Ask each group to imagine they are a family living in anothercountry in Africa, Asia or Latin America. They choose their country.Ask the pupils in each group to number themselves from 1 to 5. Callup all the Number 1s. Explain that they are each a parent in theirfamily and that they can only afford to send one child to school.They must go home and listen to why each child wants to go toschool. They must also make sure everyone listens to everyone else.

Now give each of the others their roles: No. 2 is the youngest child,No. 3 is the eldest, No. 4 has spent 2 years in school already and No.5 has never been to school. They each think about and then tell therest of the family why they should go to school. (If a mixed school,ensure there are boys and girls in each group. If a single-sex schoolgive each child in the family a piece of paper with an O or X markedon it. Xs are girls and Os are boys. There should be 2 boys and 2 girlsin each family. Ask them to keep the paper safe but do not explainits significance. Now call up the No. 1s. Tell them that they will onlybe sending the boys to school. Ask them to return to their familyand explain this. Explain the meaning of the X and O. Allow time forresponses within groups. Bring whole class back together. Askchildren how they felt about the decision. Explain that this is whathappens in many parts of the world.Find out which article of CEDAW on page 5 is to do with education.

Take Action! Go to www.sendmyfriend.org to find out more andtake part in a campaign to encourage world leaders to fulfill M.D.G.3.



Farmers’ Meeting Role Play

Problem Solution Solution Your solutionAgency A Agency B

To do: Divide the class into groups of 4 to 6 children. Explain that theyare going to pretend that they live in Malawi and that they are invited toa meeting to improve their lives.Two agencies will be suggesting waysto help out. Hand out the Villagers and Agency Representatives rolecards to each group.Another group can take on the roles of people in Mpatsa’s family.Invite each group to read the rolecard. Check that they understandtheir position.Explain that representatives from Agency A have organised a villagemeeting for the early afternoon.Invite Agency A representatives to outline their ideas and then leavethe meeting.Ask children for their reactions: are they glad to be getting food aid?What happens when the food runs out? Were women and meninvolved equally in the decision making?Then explain that Agency B has organised the meeting for lateevening. Invite Agency B representatives to outline their ideas andask the children to give their ideas as to the help they require.

Some of the problems they might mention are: no food,everyone is working so hard to get people together, no seeds toplant for next year, maize won’t grow well if the rains fail, soil islosing nutrients, women do most of the farm work but aren’tpart of the leadership.Write these problems on the chart.Ask the children for their reactions: how do they feel now? Doyou feel everyone was listened to?At the end of the meeting, invite the children to come out ofrole. Ask them to discuss the different approaches of the twoagencies. Which approach will have a long term effect? Fill inthe chart with their suggestions.

Make a video or tape recording of the meeting.Encourage children to write a report of themeeting from the viewpoints of the differentpeople who attended.Go to www.trocaire.ie for more information on

the work that Trócaire does in Malawi.

You will need: Copies of the role cards below, chairs set up for a meeting, large chart paper with the following table:

Villager AYou are a grandmother. You live with your eight grandchildren between the ages of 6 and 14. Their parents both died fromHIV/AIDS. Normally you get enough food from your farm to last until October but this year all the food is gone by June becausethere wasn’t enough rain for the maize to grow. Between June and September you have been relying on working in otherpeople’s fields. Initially you were able to get small jobs from people in the same village. By August, all this work was finished, sonow you and the children often have to walk distances of more than 10 km to look for work, and are paid a small plate of maizeflour for a whole day’s work. For about two weeks you all had to live on boiled maize leaves because you were not able to getany work. Because you were working for others you were not able to spend anytime preparing your own fields for the nextplanting season. Neither have you been able to save any money to buy the maize and vegetable seeds you need to plant yourown crops in time for the next rains. You hope that you can get help from a development organisation (aid agency) who havecalled people to a meeting in the village.

Villager BYou are a 20 year old man.You are married with one daughter.You left school in Standard 8 (6th class) because there was no moneyto pay school fees.Your father left the family to find work in another part of the country and never came back home.You work hardso that your children will have a better life.Your wife spends hours every day carrying water from a well. If there was a pump in thevillage she would be saved this journey.You are going to the meeting to see if the development group will be able to help.

Agency A Representative: You have just arrived in Malawi from Ireland and you have money to help poor people. You have driven around the area and cansee that there are many problems. There is very little food and many people are dying from starvation. You have spoken to thechief and leaders in the village who are all men, but don’t have time to talk to everyone. The chief gave you a list of all thehouseholds in the village. You have decided that you will give everyone enough maize meal and cooking oil to feed a family ofsix every day for the next four months. Hopefully the rains will have come in the meantime.

Agency B Representative:You work for a Malawi based development group.You have worked with other farming villages and know the kinds of problemspeople are facing.You intend to hold a meeting to see what the local people need. Firstly, you will allow everyone to have their say.Then you ask for people to elect a food committee – six men and six women. From this you will work closely with the group to helpthem to help themselves.You hope to get money to do this work from agencies like the Irish group Trócaire.

TBWATBWA


14

Prayer ServicePreparation: Invite children to choose one of the individuals featured in the Lenten

materials (Mpatsa, Stephen …) and write the following on a piece ofpaper: ‘My hopes for X are…). Put these in a basket at the centre ofyour prayer service area. If your class has been collecting money forthe Trócaire box display the box also.

You will need: Display Trócaire Lenten Posters, candle and itemsmentioned above. The following Alive-O posters mayalso be displayed:Alive-O 4: The passion and death of ChristAlive-O 5: Palm SundayAlive-O 6: Lent/EasterAlive-O 7: Holy Week

Song: Whatsoever You Do Alive-O 5 T2L6

Leader: We gather together to thank God for the talentsand gifts He has given to all. We shouldremember that God calls us all His children andHe loves everyone equally.

Reader 1: Now that Lent is coming to an end, let us remember the people and placesabout which we have learnt…Mpatsa (pause) the people of Malawi, (pause), men women and childrenall over the world who are suffering because of poverty and injustices.

Reader 2: We pray for equality in the world, for people to remember that God loves us all.

All: Lord hear our prayer.

Reader 3: We thank God for helping us to fast this Lent, and we pray for those who are hungry around the worldtoday. We pray that all people will respect the rights protected in the CEDAW (Convention on theElimination of Discrimination Against Women).

All: Lord hear our prayer

Reader 4: Let us pray that our world leaders will do the right thing and keep the promises they made in theMillennium Development Goals to halve world poverty by 2015.

All: Lord hear our prayer

Leader: We pray for people who have worked to end inequality in the world.

Reader 5: We think of Mohammed Yunus, who helped poor people and especially women to get credit whichhas made such a difference to their lives and their families.

Reader 6: We think of Rosa Parks who died recently. She decided that she wasn’t going to continue to be treatedunfairly because of her colour.(Encourage children to mention any other people they may havelearned about during their research)

Reader 7: We pray that our Global Gift of X will in some small way helpto improve things for a family in the developing world.

Leader: Let us now listen to the hopes we have for the people wehave learned about this Lent. (Invite four children to pickpapers from the basket and read them out. Ask children topause in between to allow time for reflections.)

Leader: Let us pray together the Our Father…

Song: Alive-O 5 Page 209Alive-O 6 Page 246


15

Class MassPreparation/Entrance Procession:For a class or school Mass, prepare by decorating the altarwith posters which accompany this booklet and thefollowing gifts.

Trócaire box:This Lent we have all tried to do without something andthought of others. (Child’s Name) offers this Trócaire box as areminder that we should always think of others.

Trócaire Poster:____________ brings the Trócaire poster. We have learnedabout the lives of these people in Malawi. We learned aboutMpatsa who lives in such poverty but now hopes for a betterlife by being part of a community group and going to school.

Poster illustrating an article of CEDAW:We learned how in many parts of the world women aredenied their rights. ___________ offers this poster as asymbol of the work being done to improve this situation.

Elastics:Elastics or jinga jinga is a game that is played here in Ireland,in Malawi and in many other countries of the world.__________ brings these elastics as a symbol of how we areall connected together in some way.

Entrance Hymn:Blessed Be God (Alive-O5 p.309)

Opening Prayer:You are the God of the poor,The human and simple God,The God who sweats in the streetsThe God with a weather beaten face.

Penitential Rite:Invite the children to write down some of the things deniedto people in Malawi e.g. food to eat, schools to go to. As theyare read out, all answer,“Lord have mercy” and “Christ havemercy” alternately.

First Reading:Do not forget God when you have everything (Deuteronomy 8:11-14)Reflection on reading:When things are going wrong in our lives – if we are worriedabout something, we pray to God and ask Him to help. In thisreading, we are reminded that God should be the centre ofall parts of our lives, in good times and in bad.

Responsorial Psalm:Response: Praise God, my soul!Alleluia!Praise God my soul!I mean to praise God all my life;I mean to sing to my God as long as I live.Response: Praise God, my soul!

God forever faithful,Gives justice to those denied it,Gives food to the hungry,Gives liberty to prisoners.Response: Praise God, my soul!

God reigns forever,Your God from age to age.Response: Praise God, my soul!

Gospel Reading:The Last Judgement(Matthew 26:31-40)Reflection on reading:In today’s Gospel we are told that whenever we do a gooddeed for someone it is as if we are doing it for Jesus. God cansee everything and is always happy with us if we help peoplewho are less well off than ourselves.

Prayers of the Faithful:(See Prayer Service)

Offertory Procession:Bread and Wine: We offer the bread and wine to remind usthat Jesus is at the centre of all that we do.

After Communtion:Invite some of the children to read out the following as apost Communion reflection:

Reader 1:Something to think about… if you woke up this morningwith more health than illness…you are more blessed thanthe million who will not survive this week.If you have food to eat, clothes to wear, a roof overhead andsomewhere to sleep …you are richer than 75% of the world.If you can read you are more blessed than over two billionpeople in the world that cannot read at all.

Reader 2:This Lent we have learned about the lives of some children inMalawi. We learned that in some ways our lives are the same– we play some of the same games; we go to school; we havefriends to play with; we have dreams and hopes for thefuture. In other ways our lives are very different – they mightbe in a class of 50 or 60 children; they don’t always haveenough to eat or clean water to drink.We feel that this is very unfair. We hope that their lives willimprove.

Reader 3:In 2000, world leaders met and decided to improve the livesof poorer people. They set eight goals to try to halve povertyin the world by 2015 and to try to make the world a fairerplace. We pray that they keep their promises.

Reader 4:Let us pray for each other’s needs now.For our own needs within, for the needs of others whom weknow,And the needs of the world.

Final Hymn: Go now in Peace (Alive-O5, p.310)


Our World Our History: The Maya of GuatemalaTrócaire 2004 €6.00/ £4Activity book for 3rd and 4th class contains activities, colourphotographs and children’s worksheets on the ancientcivilisation of the Maya.

Our World Our History: Nomadism,Slavery and ConflictTrócaire 2004 €6.00/ £4A resource for teachers aimed at 5th and 6th class. Containsactivities, photographs, and children’s worksheets. Topicscovered include: the slave trade, nomads of Somalia andIrish Travellers, wars in East Timor and Vietnam.

Trócaire at Work: The Millennium DevelopmentGoals – Worksheets for 5th and 6th class/P6 and P7Trócaire 2004 FreeThis set of worksheets focuses on the MDGs and includesteacher’s instructions and worksheets profiling how projectssupported by Trócaire are working towards the goals.The 9worksheets for 5th and 6th /P6 and P7 class children providea range of activities linked to the Primary curriculum.

Global Gift pack for Primary SchoolsTrócaire, annually FreeThis pack provides fundraising ideas for making a differenceto poor people in different parts of the world. Children areencouraged to think of those who are less well off and to buya global gift – a gift which will help change the lives of poorfamilies around the world. The global gifts change each year.Examples include a pig for a family in Colombia, a schools kitfor children in Haiti, a goat for a family in South Africa.

Rafiki – CD ROMTrócaire 1999 €38.09/Stg£29.99Contains over 10 hours of games, stories, puzzles andadventures which link children in Ireland with children inother parts of the world. Countries featured include: India,Guatemala, Kenya, Brazil and Rwanda. Rafiki is interactiveand participatory and linked directly to the aims andobjectives of the Revised Primary Curriculum. Age 7+

The World in the Classroom – DevelopmentEducation in the Primary CurriculumPrimary School Development Education Project CDU, MaryImmaculate College €12.70/ Stg £10.00A resource for teachers exploring developmenteducation methodologies and identifying opportunitiesfor a development perspective in each of the subjectareas in the new Primary Curriculum.

Homes and Families in Peru – Geographyresource for 3rd to 6th class.Trocaire 2006 FreeIntegrating with the Geography Strand Unit, People andOther Lands, this resource looks at the life of threefamilies in Peru. Through activities, stories and a set of12 photos the children will explore the climate,language, culture, dress, food, education, transport anddaily life in both urban and rural settings. They willexplore issues such as the concerns of the people,change and how it has come about, the inequitabledistribution of resources and interdependence.

MapsTraidcraft, €3.17/Stg £2.50Peter’s Projection Map (folded) 85cmx60cm

Equal Measures Department of Education and Science 2006Publication sent to all primary schools in 2006. Itcontains information on formulating a gender equalitypolicy in schools, teaching resources with exemplarlessons for the whole school, andguidelines for parents. It alsoincludes a DVD whichpromotes good practicein relation to genderequality and supportfor schools to developa gender equalitypolicy.

The following resources are available from Trócaire Resource Centres:

USEFUL WEBSITE

www.trocaire.org

- Trócaire Kids Website contains

fact sheets, stories from around

the world, activities and ideas

for taking action on the

environment.

MAYNOOTHMaynooth, Co. Kildare.Tel: (01) 629 3333Fax: (01) 629 0661e-mail: [email protected]

CORK9 Cook St., Cork.Tel: (021) 427 5622Fax: (021) 4271874e-mail: [email protected]

BELFAST50 King St., Belfast, BT1 6AD.Tel: (028) 9080 8030Fax: (028) 9080 8031e-mail: [email protected]

DUBLIN 12 Cathedral St., Dublin 1.Tel/Fax: (01) 874 3876e-mail: [email protected]

Resource Centres

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