National College ``Elena Cuza`` BUCHAREST

1. Working with young people in order to start a project on development education on the school and community level-November 21 to 25, 2011 National College ``Elena Cuza`` BUCHAREST

2. The chosen theme illustrates Objective no. 8Develop a global partnership for development Target 8.B Address the special needs of the least developed countries Includes: tariff and quota free access for least developed countries’ exports; enhanced programme of debt relief for HIPC and cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous ODA for countries committed to poverty reduction

3. ``It is time for us to insist on showing everyone in the world that there are people who don`t benefit from what it takes to live a decent life and, yet, they never complain. They also don`t claim anything nor discriminate anyone. They are far from having dreams or hopes. Despite all these, it is us who can make them realize that their lives are of great importance to the whole world`` The students of ``Elena Cuza`` National College give voice to their thoughts through the activity ``Getting to know is the first step. Youth people`s reflections`` within the project entitled ``Millennium Development Goals. Involving high-school students and teachers in educational projects and programmes for development``

4. Theme :Ways of supporting underdeveloped and developing nations The activity objectives were as follows:-Making students aware of the problems related to poverty and social exclusion; -Putting forward explanations and inter-disciplinary and multidisciplinary arguments related to supporting under-developed countries;-Making use of individual knowledge and resources in conducting investigations and working on personal and group projects;-Finding out students`opinions related to the contribution that non formal activities may have to developing students` communicative skills;-Sharing with their school mates information on poverty in Africa

5. Description of the activity stages:-Informing the target group on the theme of the activity;-Debate session between the thirty students, followed up by a poster contest;-School exhibition presenting the students` posters;-Sharing with the Board of the Form Masters by posting a brief presentation on the high school site

6. Presenting the Students`creations: Having as a starting point the lyrics ``Nothing, not even hope sings in your soul When silence is your future and no more wings to spread`` Five students from Grade 9th B divided the world into 2 categories: A peaceful place where people can daydream and easily achieve happiness and, on the other hand, a place where only thorns sprout from the ground, where revenge is a way of living, where arms kill innocence and life isn`t worth living.

7. ``Hope – the antidote to despair`` is the title of their creation that conveys the fact that ``All the people living in the poor countries are winners and bear no fault that they were born on a continent forgotten by people; and yet, they have the power to smile as if they were some fairy tale characters.``

8. The students strongly believed in Solomon`s proverbs which were quoted in their work: some people are indifferent to the poor ,``Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.``and ``He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack, but he that hideth his eyes shal have many a curse``A few suggestions for eradicating poverty are made:- the existence of an international center charged with carrying out plans for the development of the poor countries- providing financial support to the poor countries- development strategies

10. The third group, whose motto was``Our ideas – chances for their future``, proved to be more pragmatic.

11. Here are their solutions:-increasing small medical centres located within easy reach of the people;-reforming social insurance systems;-setting up a partnership between rich and poor countries under the aegis of W.H.O/O. M. S, with a view to elaborating a programme for rational sanitary improvement;-urbanizing and expanding the infrastructure;-increasing work productivity by stagnating or reducing the active population in agriculture, etc

13. The fourth group put an emphasis on the causes that lead to poverty, coming to the conclusion that “Rich countries also live in bitter poverty”….

16. Impact on those involved in the activity ``We have learnt how to work as a team and I think that everybody has broadened their horizons on the existing world. I hope we will get the chance to continue our work so that its results may become visible.`` Ioana – 16 years old ``I may say that it has been a test on how you can devote yourself to a cause. We have described a different way of life, a new way of approaching human existence which, although being so different and difficult to be understood by the Europeans and white people, still represents a way of life.`` Angelica -15 years old ``This activity helped me understand a different part of the world, a world that we do not know, but we are under the false impression that we know it. From a personal point of view, it helped me to become more balanced and cherish what I have.`` Roxana – 17 years old