Heather Latter
Grade 5/6 students in Debbie Jean’s class at St. Francis School are striving to create clean water in a Third World country through “Free the Children.”
Calling it the “Change 4 Change” campaign, the students are asking staff and students at the school, as well as the community, to donate their loose change from now until March 31.
“We hope that they will donate change so that we can send the money to a Third World country so they can have a clean water source,” noted one of the students.
Donations can be turned in at the school office or to Room 103, where a bucket has been set out to collect the coins.
“We want to make a difference,” said another student.
Having spent the last few weeks learning about the “Free the Children” organization and founder Craig Kielburger, the class decided it would continue on with the project that has been taken on by Jean’s classes over the past few years.
Previously, her classes have fought against child labour and helped build a school in a Third World country.
“This is something they want to do,” stressed Jean, adding the project has been student-led—right down to deciding what they would raise money for.
“We certainly had a debate over it,” she noted, indicating some of the other initiatives discussed included agriculture, education, and health.
But one of the students noted that in some countries, girls spend all their time collecting clean water and can’t go to school.
So by creating clean water sources and sanitation facilities, not only will it improve their health but it also will allow for access to education because girls now will be free to attend school.
“They decided it was the campaign that covered the most,” Jean explained.
The students then began planning their fundraisers, as well as researching more about the issue.
They learned 80 percent of illnesses in the developing world are linked to poor water and sanitation, and that the same water source that’s used to collect household water for drinking and cooking also is used as a dumping ground for human and animal waste.
One of the students noted staff member Joelle Paull informed the class that when her brother, Lt.-Col. Daniel Blanc, was serving overseas, he saw children drinking water from the ditch and puddles.
“Then further up the road, he saw people going to the bathroom in the ditch,” the student recounted.
So the class is aware that many of the water sources are plagued with bacteria and contaminants.
“Children die because they don’t have clean water and from diarrhea,” another student stressed, noting it kills more than 3,000 children each day.
“Free the Children” indicates 88 percent of diarrheal disease occurs because of unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene.
It adds more than 780 million people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water, and that one-in-four deaths of children under the age of five is due to a water-related disease.
“We want to help,” a student said.
“We’re just children but it doesn’t matter—we can still make a difference,” another stressed.
“We have more than what we need and can share what we have,” said yet another student.
“We’re all equal in God’s eyes.”
In addition to bringing in loose change, Jean’s students also are planning a bake sale on March 26.
Students and parents will be providing the baking, but they also are welcoming any donations from the community.
These can be brought to the school on the afternoon of March 25 or in the morning of March 26.
The bake sale will run from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. in Room 103.
Between the two fundraisers, the class is hoping to raise $750.
Jean’s class last year was able to raise $1,600.
Jean noted two community members donated change that they had been saving for a long time.
“I think $750 is a good goal—I think we will be able to meet it,” enthused one student.
