‘Hands up for Haiti’ teaches about inequality

A NEW teaching tool to help primary school children across the country understand the social inequalities that exist between Ireland and Haiti, has been launched in Cork.

The initiative was developed by Irish NGO Haven and was launched last week in St Catherine’s National School on Model Farm Road, Cork.

‘Hands Up for Haiti’ aims to promote an understanding of development issues, and highlight the social inequalities that exist between Ireland and Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

Its purpose is to heighten social awareness by educating children about the severe poverty and deprivation that exist in other parts of the world. The main tool contained in the pack is a tailor-made video which describes what life is like for a child in Haiti, as well as sharing basic information about the country.

A sample question and answer sheet is also supplied, to assist the teacher in getting the children to recall what they have seen on the screen, to engage with the issues, and identify with how the children in Haiti live their lives on a daily basis.

One main difference highlighted is the level of responsibility that is placed on the children of Haiti in comparison to their counterparts in Ireland.

Haven is trying to create a similar sense of responsibility in the home by asking each child to fulfil five chores, one for each finger and thumb, for their parent or guardian.

The NGO is also seeking the support of the parents, asking them to give their child a small payment or donation to Haven on completion of these tasks.

Founder and chairman of Haven, Leslie Buckley, said he hoped the new initiative would spread awareness amongst children of the plight of their counterparts in Haiti.

“We hope that with this tool, teachers will be able to foster a sense of understanding in the classroom.”

“The children in Haiti have to grow up quickly. We are asking children to take part in the Hands Up for Haiti programme, to carry out chores at home, in return for a small payment from their parents, to help to alleviate the dire poverty in which the children of Haiti are living in,” he said.

* Any teacher or parent interested in getting a ‘Hands Up for Haiti’ pack can log on to www.havenpartnership.org or call 01-6815440.