World Food Day

So the 16th of October is World Food Day and Daisy and I decided that we should do something for it. On Monday we printed out an outline of Namibia (we had to have it photocopied 60 times which certainly raised some eyebrows) and gave it to the two classes we actually trust and who do their work. We told the children some facts about hunger, for example we got them to guess how many millions of people  are hungry in the world - it's 842 million by the way. However since they live in a country of only 2 million people this was a rather difficult number for them to comprehend.

So they spent this week drawing the foods they eat inside the outline of Namibia. This included: porridge, chicken, fish, goat, donkey, horse, cake, cold drink (as they call it here) and much more. Around the outline of Namibia they decorated and wrote some facts about hunger in the world.






The pictures here are from our favourite class - 5A, who are our youngest, hardest working and most intelligent class! They are also our only class who constantly do as we ask and so as a result, we always give them the funnest lessons!

Today the learners had already finished their drawings so after we took pictures of them (which is considered a reward here because they love photos so much) they began to write short poems about food - which were as hilariously weird as we expected.

Daisy and I proceeded to put their pictures up on one of the classroom walls as a display (the teacher was delighted to have his room decorated). And amazingly enough we somehow managed to get them all up without Daisy stapling one of my fingers to the wall!





We had also agreed to play some music about food to them if they were good. So my free periods yesterday were spent downloading songs such as 'food, glorious food' (both from Oliver and Ice Age), 'candy', 'candyman', 'Lollipop', 'American pie' and more.

While they may not technically be about food itself the children were delighted and for some reason I simply cannot comprehend they found my dancing absolutely hilarious (my kitchen practice sessions with my family have obviously had their influence!)

We then gave the children their ultimate reward - singing! And so the last fifteen minutes of the lesson were spent with the kids stood up belting their songs out. Daisy and I are now able to join in with a couple of them (at least with the English bits). I was in such a good mood that I even let some of the children take photos with my camera. Don't worry Mother, I made sure they all had the strap around their necks so they couldn't drop it and I supervised at all times!

The wall display was so pretty and the children were so proud of it that we decided to take a couple of photos of the children in front of it. I managed to introduce the children to Jazz hands as well - i'm obviously making a major difference in their lives!

It was perhaps one of the best lessons we've ever had in Namibia. The children were happy and well behaved, they did their work and handed it in at the end of the lesson. And to make it even better we didn't have to shout or even kick anyone out of the class.

We had even made sugar cookies for them (after all, it was World Food Day!) And so as the children left the classroom they were given their tasty reward. Inevitably a few of them pinched an extra cookie but in fairness, I would have done exactly the same thing. Memories of my sister and I stealing the smarties specially reserved for birthdays at my old school have suddenly arisen!