Oxfam Work Report: Development Education Poverty results from injustice. Oxfam seeks lasting solutions to problems of poverty and suffering, which often stem from structural causes over which poor people have little control. At Oxfam, we believe that everyone can play a part in ending poverty; everyone is an active agent of change and everyone should take up the responsibility as a global citizen to uphold justice. Besides long-term development programmes and policy advocacy, we strive to raise public awareness on poverty issues and foster a sense of global citizenship through development education. This short report presents some of the highlights of our work.
Highlights 1990 – 2010 1990 Established Oxfam Resources Library to provide the public and teachers with resources on poverty and development issues
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Secondary four students Cheng Manhing and Ho Yinyee joined the “A Cloud on the Horizon” workshop before summer break. In the two-hour activity, they explored how climate change affects the lives of poor people.
Global citizenship education for youngsters The Oxfam Interactive Education Centre runs 12 programmes that use drama, role playing and simulation games to introduce five main themes: rich and poor people; international trade and poverty; natural disasters and poverty; disasters and conflicts; and resource allocation and hunger. Students internalise the concept of world poverty at the Oxfam Interactive Education Centre.
1992 Developed the first Oxfam Hunger Banquet as an educational tool to educate the public about the causes and nature of poverty 1995 Set up Oxfam Development Education Grant to provide support to development education initiatives in Hong Kong 1996 Started working with teachers and the Education Bureau to incorporate issues of social justice and development into various subject areas 1997 Began Oxfam Club, an annual youth leadership programme on poverty alleviation. Since then, more than 300 youths have joined Oxfam Club 2000 Launched Cyberschool, an educational website for teachers and young people 2001 Began public education work in Mainland China; published The Development Education Game Book for teachers and social workers to encourage the integration of development education into class discussions 2003 Kicked off the Global Citizenship Campaign to motivate youngsters to be concerned about poor and disadvantaged people, to be willing to build a fairer world and to be global citizens 2005 Set up the Interactive Education Centre to provide a unique experiential learning environment for people in Hong Kong 2006 Held a “Quality Life-wide Learning Activity Workshop” with the Education Bureau to provide a way for teachers to take part in teaching and learning about poverty issues beyond the classroom 2008 Partnered with the University of Hong Kong to develop an elective course in Teaching Global Issues as part of the University’s Postgraduate Diploma in Education 2010 The Interactive Education Centre won the Gold Award for Arts Education (Non-School Division) of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. In the past five years, 38,561 people from 347 schools and organisations took part in workshops organised by the centre
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“Learn more and think more, and then we will know more about the world we live in. We need to care about our society and our planet and we also need to give a helping hand to people in need,” said Cheng Manhing, adding that this is the responsibility of a global citizen.
Primary five student Wong Pakyin participated in the “Hunger Court” interactive workshop in June this year. “I know that there are many hungry people in the world. Through this workshop, I have learned that war, disaster and pollution can also trigger food shortage problems,” she said. Pakyin said this kind of interactive activity was an interesting learning experience. “We acted as jury members, witnesses or even evidence to deal with different cases related to hunger, and we tried to find out who should be held responsible for making people hungry. I had a lot of fun taking part in the workshop,” she said. Pakyin has already set a life goal for herself: “I want to become a scientist and to invent something useful to help poor people and those who don’t have enough food to eat.” She also said, “I used to take long showers. I will not do that again. I will remind my parents and my friends not to waste water or food and to protect our environment.”
“In Hong Kong, cramming is common in classroom education, which I think is not a good method to inspire students to think and learn. Acting and role playing, on the other hand, is a powerful education tool that can inspire students to learn and deepen their understanding of poverty issues in the world. I hope Oxfam can organise more workshops and interactive activities in which youths can come together to learn about issues affecting the world,” said Chan Sukyee, a tutor who joined the “Ying and Nick” interactive workshop in July. The workshop is based on the true story of a Chinese worker and lets participants experience how poverty and consumption are connected to everyone. Oxfam supporter Chan Sukyee (centre) brings her two students to the “Ying and Nick” interactive workshop.
“In this drama activity we imagined ourselves as villagers of a small island who lost their homes due to climate change. This kind of learning experience has given us a sense of reality of the suffering of the people affected by climate change.” The two girls said that secondary students should pay more attention to issues affecting the world. “Everyone can be a change maker because a little effort can make a difference. So, we should lead by example – save energy and live a green life, and influence others with our attitude and behaviour,” Ho Yinyee said.
Wong Pakyin (left) participates in the “Hunger Court” interactive activity about food and poverty in Hong Kong and around the world.
Ho Yinyee (centre) tries to share the lives of villagers in a poor island country affected by climate change through role playing.
Cheng Manhing (red T-shirt) thinks that youths should show solicitude for the world and practice being responsible global citizens.
“Oxfam Interactive Education Centre is a project of diverse themes which relate closely to social realities. It is both unique and meaningful. The project, presented in a lively and interactive drama format, broadens participants’ vision and raises their awareness as world citizens. Young people are made aware of social issues and learn to develop their own values, creativity and individuality.” – Panelist, Hong Kong Arts Development Council Awards
Prize Presentation ceremony, Hong Kong City Hall: (left to right): Paris Law, Education Coordinator, Oxfam Hong Kong; Lo Chi Kin, Council Chair of Oxfam Hong Kong; and Darwin Chen, SBS, Chairman, Committee on Performing Arts at the prize presentation ceremony
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“I remember the theme of Oxfam Club that year was ‘consumption and poverty.’ We participated in workshops every week, and travelled to the Philippines to visit local communities there. The trip enabled me to learn some new things that were not taught in liberal studies such as fair trade, and the connection between consumption and poverty.” Angel was inspired by child labourers in the Philippines using drama to attract tourists to buy their products. After she returned to Hong Kong, she and other members of Oxfam Club organised events to raise public awareness of the situation of child workers in the world through drama. She also initiated activities about social inequality and development issues at her school. “I wanted to share with other people what I had learned and seen in the Philippines; I also wanted to call for more people to take action to help fight against poverty and injustice,” she said.
“Young people in Hong Kong don’t care much about our society, nor do they know much about the hot issues affecting the world. I, for one, believe if there is one person out of 100 who receives our message and he or she continues to spread the message to other people, I am sure the call for justice will be answered some day.” Angel graduated from university in 2010 and is now engaging in communications work in a media company, continuing her goal as a message deliverer and change maker. “Oxfam Club offers youngsters in Hong Kong an opportunity to expose themselves to the world, which is very meaningful,” Angel said.
Angel (first left, front row), along with other Oxfam Club members, initiated public activities to promote awareness about poverty issues in the world.
“Oxfam’s teaching resources don’t project any political or religious stance, they don’t force students to accept their values or thinking, but state the facts and show a real picture of the issues and problems in the world and inspire them to think of the consequences and impacts,” Stephen said.
“We have been running the Young Global Citizenship Programme with support from the Oxfam Development Education grant since 2006. Every year, we organise a youth exposure trip to Cambodia to learn about the poverty and social problems there as well as to carry out voluntary service. After trip participants return to Hong Kong, they organise a series of activities such as school talks, exhibitions and workshops to help spread the learning and impact of global issues to other youths and to inspire them to think how these issues are interconnected with their lives. This year, another focus of our work is on anti-human trafficking in Cambodia, volunteer training and advocacy,” said a representative from Humanity in Focus. Set up in 2006, Humanity in The four representatives of Humanity in Focus is Hong Kong’s first student-founded Focus: (from left) Christine, Yiu, Dennis non-governmental organisation (NGO). and Jocelyn.
Members of Oxfam Club run public events to promote anti-poverty messages.
The trip to the Philippines sowed the seed of global citizenship in Angel’s heart. As the years went by, it gradually grew and blossomed. “I was the civil education ambassador of my school when I was in secondary six. Before, I wanted to be a teacher but I ended up studying communications in university, as I want to be able to inform people what is happening in the world.” Angel volunteered as a teacher in Cambodia and Guangxi province of China, and she always encourages her friends to engage in voluntary work and community service.
Stephen Wong became a teacher in 2005, and since then he has been using Oxfam’s teaching resources such as the Hunger Map game and other teacher kits and CDs to supplement his teaching in the subjects of geography and liberal studies.
The aims in setting up the grant were to build up a community of concerned groups working on local and global development issues, and to support school-based or community-based reflection and action activities on development issues.
Oxfam Club and its alumni run training workshops, camps and exposure trips to developing countries to open youngsters’ eyes to poverty issues in the world.
When Angel Li was in secondary three in 2002, her teacher encouraged her to join Oxfam Club. The decision has changed her life.
Development Education Grant
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A few months ago, Stephen mobilised more than 30 students to play “Making a Living” after class. He said, “The board game lets students learn more about the poverty issues in Hong Kong. More than half of the players actively participated in the discussion in the game and some could even delve into issues like the extreme disparity between the rich and the poor and employment poverty.” To broaden students' knowledge base, the Education Bureau has designed the New Senior Secondary (NSS) Curriculum in which students from secondary four to secondary six have to complete 405 hours of “other learning experiences,” which can be fulfilled by voluntary work, community service or education about civil society within three years. “More and more schools will work closely with NGOs like Oxfam Hong Kong for more learning platforms.” Stephen said.
Interactive educational resources The Cyberschool (www.cyberschool.oxfam.org.hk) provides exhibition panels, audio-visual materials, games, teaching kits, research papers, statistics and an online dictionary on poverty, hunger, trade, war and more. The Education Resource Library provides books, exhibition boards and CDs for teachers and students. Educational games such as “Globalisation Monopoly”, “Hunger Map”, “Food Matching” and “Making a Living” are board games that enable players to experience and discuss social development issues in Hong Kong.
Tak Nga Secondary School vice-president Ms Cheung has used teaching materials from the Cyberschool for ten years. She has also encouraged students to join activities and workshops organised by the Oxfam Interactive Education Centre as well as Oxfam Club. “Education is important and a teacher’s responsibility is not only imparting knowledge but also cultivating a sense of social consciousness in students and encouraging them to think what they can give back to society. I truly think the best social education is outside the classroom, through experiential learning in various activities. The teaching resources and activities of Oxfam provide a platform for teachers to inspire students to think and explore issues in the world,” Ms Cheung commented. This year, Ms Cheung collaborated with Oxfam to organise an activity called “Drama Liberal Studies Crossover”. “The activity combined global citizenship education with liberal education. Students took the lead in selecting a topic and writing a script, while Oxfam’s facilitator instructed them in role playing to bring out poverty issues in Hong Kong. My role was to provide advice and encouragement,” Ms Cheung smiled.
Stephen Wong (standing) mobilises students to play Making a Living, a board game about poverty issues in Hong Kong.
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Teacher training Oxfam works with the Education Bureau of the HKSAR government and local universities to jointly organise liberal studies workshops and training sessions for secondary school teachers to explore teaching methods in topics including marginalised labour in Hong Kong, food security and war and conflict in the context of globalisation.
Future Work In the future, Oxfam will continue its educational work to equip people with the knowledge and values to make positive changes for sustainable development and the alleviation of poverty in the world. We will continue to collaborate with youths and adults, students and teachers and with the education system to foster global citizenship in the following ways: • Integrate development education and poverty issues into school curricula such as liberal studies and geography, and initiate experimental global citizenship programmes in schools with systematic training for teachers.
Ms Cheung (standing) sees the activities and workshops of Oxfam as platforms where her students can learn and explore various social issues.
• Develop dramas, interactive workshops and storytelling activities related to poverty issues and match them up with primary and secondary curricula to cultivate the values of justice, equality and togetherness in youths. • Stimulate learning through youth leadership and participatory activities, like community visits, exposure trips to developing countries and training activities, and encourage youngsters to initiate their own projects towards creating a better world for themselves and people in need.
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The Oxfam Hunger Banquet lets students see how and why people are going hungry and staying hungry. To this day, schools organise innovative hunger banquets by themselves, guided by Oxfam facilitators and our do-it-yourself kit.