Learn the plight of children in developing nations. 3 lessons for young people 10-20 years of age. Eng/Fr - More

It is easy for students to understand that they can make a difference in the world today,
but it may be hard for them to understand why or how. The issue of extreme poverty is
especially difficult to grasp because it isn’t obvious in a school environment. The BeadforLife organization aims to fight poverty by immersing students in the realities of extreme poverty
while encouraging them to act through a new curriculum, “Understanding Global Poverty:
How Youth Can Make a Difference!”

BeadforLife partners with impoverished women in Uganda to create beaded jewelry out of
recycled paper, providing a sustainable income, and reinvesting profits in community development. The organization has empowered women who were once earning less than
a dollar a day to earn $5-$7 per day.

The new BeadforLife school curriculum is a five-day journey that begins by exploring the broader issues of resource scarcity and distribution to help students understand some of the causes of poverty. It is a chilling fact that 1.4 billion people worldwide live on about one dollar per day. One activity requires students to simulate the home of a ‘beader’ in Acholi Quarter, a slum in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, Africa. Together, groups of five to eight students create a 10’ x 10’ square drawn on the ground, or taped indoors in a classroom, cafeteria, or gymnasium. The students are challenged to fit their group within this space, representing the typical size of a family home. They will see first hand how drastically their own living situations differ from those of the ‘beaders’ and redefine what items are truly necessary for survival. The exercise closes with a positive “Message of Hope,” sharing the incredible achievements of the ‘beaders’ whose hard work and empowerment through BeadforLife has changed their lives forever.

The BeadforLife activities and lessons are only the beginning. Students are encouraged to continue their fight against poverty by taking action with modern-day applications documented in the curriculum. This motivates youth to carry their learning to their own worlds of friends, family, community, and beyond.

The new 54-page BeadforLife curriculum is intended to expose students to conditions of extreme poverty and Africa. It delivers a specific focus on BeadforLife and the structure created to help people rise out of poverty in Uganda. The organization partnered with “Facing the Future” to develop some of the activities and lessons. Throughout the five-day plan, students will use simulations like the activity above, discussions, and service learning to better understand global poverty and ways in which they can make a difference.

Instructors can download the curriculum directly from the BeadforLife website for free.
Or, they can create a more interactive package by adding a DVD, CD and 30 BeadforLife
bangle bracelets for only $14.95 USD. Finally, instructors have the option of purchasing
the entire package that includes a four-colour 54-page curriculum and all of the items
previously mentioned for $29.95 USD.

For more information, please visit: http://beadforlife.org