School awards focuses on poverty

POVERTY affects half the world — nearly three billion people are forced to live on less than €2 a day.

A unique awards programme for primary schools is continuing to create an awareness and understanding of aid programmes in some of the world’s poorest countries.

The Irish Aid Our World Global Schools’ Awards were created to highlight the objectives of the eight United Nations millennium development goals. By 2015, the nations, including Ireland, have agreed to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development.