Short project description:
Building a bridge of awareness and solidarity between children of a
european city and Pakistani village children in need
Project summary:
In June 2003 our Primary school has been named after the Pakistani child
killed by the Rugs‘mafia in 1995, Iqbal Masih, following the request
of the Headteacher and the teachers‘ committee. On this occasion,it
has taken place a week of celebration, in which there have been organized
a number of cultural events. Among them, in accordance with the meaning
of the initiative, complying with the Vice-President of the Active organization,
Mr.Saif Ullah Ranjhia‘s idea of setting up a sort of permanent
cooperation relationship between his village (Pandowal Bala)and our
primary school, the body of teachers, together with the Headteacher
and the parents‘representatives, have decided to start a solidarity
Campaign to support 40 children of the village. Starting November 2003,
our school has gathered funds from the families in the needed quantity
to guarantee one meal per day, the transportation to the school, the
necessary school equipment for the 40 children of the village Pandowal
Bala in the Mandi-Bahauddin district in Pakistan. From November 2003
and August 2004, the initative has been coordinated by Susanna Serpe,
the teacher who has been elected by the Teachers‘body to be Responsible
for the Interculture paths set up by the school itself. Along these
months it has taken place a cultural campaign aiming at the acquaintance
with the Pakistani Village situation, by the school‘s families
and teachers. It has been realized through the setting up of films‘vision,
a couple of meetings led by Pakistani personalities, the acquisition
of books and other support material. The two communities, the children
and parents of Pandowal Bala village, the children of the Iqbal Masih
school of Rome have kept in touch by means of interviews realized in
both settings, filmed and reproducted as a means of cultural exchange.
The Active association‘s Vice-President has himself cured the filming
of his community‘s children. The teacher responsable for the project
has cured the filming of the interviews in the Iqbal Masih school. The
events,two interviews to the children ( around 20 children in Rome,
around 5 children in Pakistan)who were asked to communicate to their
friends about their likings about school, about food, about the future
choice of a job, have taken place in the month of May 2004, both in
Rome and in Pakistan. The vhs and the digital support films of the two
events are available at the school‘s address, contacting the responsable
teacher Susanna Serpe.
Objectives and innovation
The main objective is to provide support to the children in need of
the Pandowal Bala Village in Pakistan; the equally pursued objective
is to build a solidarity net among the Iqbal Masih schools in Italy,
with the same aim: As far as the didactic aim is concerned, the Project
aims to build a strong awareness feeling among families and children
of our school, on the children in need subject.
The gathering of funds has so far been successful, the awareness campaign
built by the teachers in their classrooms has achieved its aim; children
know why and how to help their friends in Pakistan and do it willingly
to help. so is for the great majority of adults involved in the Project.
Which opportunities/problems does it address:
The opportunity to go in depth in the teaching of tolerance and solidarity
with children of our italian school; the problem has been to get through
differences in the way of achieving awareness among the adults involved.
The unicity lays in the step by step building of the initiative; it
is a Project born in the head of a few, that is now being developped
with the contribution of a number of different people: both teacher
and children with their families have been and will be involved in the
setting up of this solidarity bridge. Project Results up to date:
The first amount of funds have been sent to Pakistan in the month of
May 2004; the first video contacts have been realized between the two
communities; children in Pakistan have even received drawings and letters
from their friends in Rome.
The 40 children in Pandowal Bala are now starting their school paths;
their once-a-day meal is guaranteed
Number of users of the project and preferred method of interaction:
At the moment, the Project involves 40 children and their families,
around 200 people in Pakistan. As far as the Iqbal Masih school in Rome
is concerned, it is around 1000 children with their parents.
Contribution of the project to improving education and training for
young people:
You can read the part that explains the aims of the Project.
How the project has improved participation by professionals, chlidren,
youth and other stakeholders:
Adults, both teachers and parents have been involved in the difficult
task of understanding properly what the Project was all about. This
has been the most difficult part of the Project. Children have immediately
understood the importance of giving up a little of their ownings in
order to be helpful to their friends.
The film realization has involved children and adults, both in the
films‘ creation and in the use of it as a means of widespreading
of an idea.
First of all by the achieving of the gathering of the funds, their
sending and reaching the village of Pandowal Bala. Secondly, but not
less important,the awareness the Rome Iqbal Masih‘s school children
have showed in more than one occasion in which they have been asked
to express about the Project. The duration of our project is:
More than 6 years
The approximate total budget of our project is:
10,001 - 30,000 USD
The source of funding for our project is:
sale of products or services Families contribution
Economic self-sufficiency of our project:
Our project will be self-sufficent: Less than 1 year
As positive lesson we would indicate that solidarity is something to
profess, to aim to, to achieve being aware of the difficulties to substain
it in the long term. At the same time, it is necessary to know the importance
of getting clear aims from the beginning of the Project, since this
could save from getting through difficulties in the acknowledgement
of the Project on the part of the subjects involved.
How the project came about:
The main subject involved are: Iqbal Masih Primary school of Rome, via
Ferraironi 38 00177 Rome, Mr Saif Ullah Ranjhia, Vice- President of
Active association (Pakistan) The Radio Rai 1 transmission called ‘Permesso
di soggiorno‘ has covered the initiative with a brief program that
was on air on May 19th 2004, whose title is ‘Mi presento‘
by Maria Mannino
Barriers:
The lack of official recognition of the Active association in Italy:
this is the first step to be implemented to be able to carry on with
the Project. The vice-President is trying to give life to the italian
branch of the Active association.
Solutions:
We tried to get hold of as many guarantees as possible to be able to
reassure people who were sceptical on the positive evolving of the Project.
Future plans and wish list:
We are now waiting for the creation of the italian branch of the association
in order to carry on with the Project. It would be needed: - a legal
support to the vice-President Saif Ullah Ranjhia in order to give birth
to the italian branch of the Active association - an official recognition
and partnership of the initiative, maybe between Comune di Roma and
the Pandowal Bala Village. The Rome‘s Major, Walter Veltroni has
already been made aware of the Project, as it has the Italian Ambassador
in Pakistan Mr.Roberto Mazzotta by means of an official letter sent
by the Headteacher dr.ssa Simonetta Salacone; - the opportunity to create
an Iqbal Masih schools network, in order to widen the Project.
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