Suitable for Whole School

To raise awareness of the 'Make Poverty History' campaign and to suggest ways in which pupils can take action.

• 'Make Poverty History' wrist band, available from: www.oxfam.org.uk
• Music from Robbie Williams, or any of the Live 8 bands.
• White board / paper and pen
• Map of the world (optional)
• Picture of Bob Geldof – (from current newspapers or from Goggle Image search)
• Fair Trade logo

1. Play Robbie Williams or any of the Live 8 music as the pupils enter the assembly.
   
2. Ask if anyone saw the Live 8 concert. Who were their favourite bands? Did they enjoy it? Ask for their comments and spend some time discussing what they thought of the concert. State that there were 10 concerts happening around the world on the same day. So it wasn’t just the London and Cornwall concerts, but there were concerts in America, Africa, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada and Russia. (You can even place these countries on a map if available). THREE BILLION people around the world were watching the concerts.
   
3. Now ask what people thought the concert was in aid of? Why did they put it on? Write down their ideas – e.g. to make money for Africa, for poor people, etc. Praise their ideas
   

4. Now review their ideas, highlighting the real reasons behind the concert.

   The concert was followed by a meeting in Scotland with eight of the most powerful men in the world, this meeting is called G8. Tony Blair, our Prime Minister, is hosting the meeting and has made Africa one of the important issues. (Links can be made here to the School Council, if you have one).

   Live 8 was just part of the campaign to make people more aware of the meeting so that the leaders would know that the world is behind them and waiting to see new changes. Bob Geldof is one the men who has organised the concerts. He also organised a big concert in 1985 called Live Aid, which raised over £100 MILLION pounds to help starving people in Africa.

   Twenty years later and there are still big problems in Africa, as people are still dying from simple things, such as not getting the right food and medicine to keep them healthy. There are three main issues that the G8 leaders need to discuss. They are:

   Doubling Aid

   Governments from rich countries such as ours need to give more money to African countries so they can afford better schools and can have the medicines they need to make them better when they are sick. But we also need to make sure that this money goes to the people who need it most and not to the greedy leaders in some of these countries.

   Cancelling debts

   Over the years African countries have borrowed money from the richer countries in the world, leaving them owing lots of money, which is called debt. Every year African countries have to pay back lots of money to these countries, instead of putting the money towards the people in their countries. If the debt was cancelled, then Africa would not owe the rest of the world any more money and they could put their money where it is needed most.

   Fair Trade

   At the moment many farmers and businesses in Africa are not getting the chance to make a good living, to feed themselves and their families’ and to send their children to school. This is because people in the wealthiest countries make the decisions about buying and selling, or trade, in Africa. So farmers need to be paid a fair price for the things that they grow – this is called Fair Trade.
   

5. Share ideas about what the children think they can do to help the situation. Discuss their ideas, making sure to include of all the following:

   We can:

• Buy and wear a Make Poverty History wristband – this shows that you are supporting the campaign. (Show a wristband)
• Write a letter to out Prime Minister Tony Blair, sending him your views. You can also email him on the Make Poverty History website! (www.makepovertyhistory.org/)
• Find out more about Africa, so that you are aware of all the issues.
• Buy Trade Fair goods. You can buy all sorts of things in the supermarket which have been fairly traded, so you know that the money is going to the farmers and the workers who produced them. Things such as chocolate, coffee and bananas, can all be bought with the Fair Trade logo on them. (Show the Fair Trade logo)
• Give money to charities which support Africa, such as Oxfam, Christian Aid, Islamic Aid, etc.

The School Council (if there is one) can discuss what the school wants to do to help the Make Poverty History campaign.

Reflection

Think about how lucky we all are to have clean running water, medicines when we are sick and a school in which to learn.

What can we do to help people around the world who want the same things as us?

Dear God,

Thank you for everything around me, that helps me to grow into a happy, strong and healthy person. I pray that everyone around the world will soon have the same chances that I have.

Amen.

Song

He’s got the whole world (Come and praise, 19)