BILBAO, Spain.
Ikasbide school of Bilbao (Spain) has celebrated a solidarity week from March 16-21. This school year the objective was to collaborate with the project of InteRed “Ya BanaCenter”, in Kinshasa (DRC). InteRed is an NGO directed by the Teresian Association.
This project is part of the chosen educational motto: “Take care of yourself, care for people, care for your surroundings, protect the environment.”
Peace Day: We build a network among all of us in the educational community.
During the second semester, we have deepened, through various activities with the students, in the goals we set, such as discovering the importance of people and their care as the main wealth of communities and societies, highlighting the interdependence between countries and continents and the complementarity between diverse people; to be aware of situations of injustice in our society and commit ourselves to it, as well as to know the situation of poverty and violation of human rights of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Preparation of Solidarity Week: We commit ourselves to repair the network between diverse people and countries to improve the world.
The students of grades 3 an 4 of Secondary Education have been especially involved in the project and have worked as volunteers, with great enthusiasm and many initiatives, involving their class mates and assuming co-responsibility, together with the center staff and the families, in the planning and development of this week’s activities.
Preparation of Solidarity Week: We commit ourselves to repair the network between diverse people and countries to improve the world
As we wanted to give relevance to different members of our educational community and to know their own vision, we have approached some of them so that they may tell us the reason for their collaboration as volunteers and what they value most about working in solidarity projects.
Blanca and Saioa, students from grade 4 of Secondary School, state: “We work as volunteers because we want the project to go well. It is not necessary to help only with money, we collaborate with our time and enthusiasm. We have been meeting for several weeks to be able to make this week a week full of fun and solidarity”
Bea, a Primary Education teacher and participant in the project as a volunteer with the students explains:
“Since the time I started working in Ikasbide, I have participated in Days of Solidarity and I have always been amazed at the joy and involvement of the students, the families and the personnel of the Center. This year I have collaboratedfor the first time in the preparation work of the students of Secondary Education which culminated in the Solidarity Feast. The joy, initiative and commitment I have seen in them encouraged me a lot, not only for the preparation of Solidarity Week, but also in my daily work. From the preparation of information to make known the solidarity project, to the elaboration of panels and banners, including the design of different workshops, their commitment has been really great.
I think that the commitment that I have seen in the students is fundamental in generating new ways of action that will lead us to transform the current model of society towards a more just world for all. I hope my three-year old students may participate in Solidarity Days of the future with the same joy, team spirit and collaboration that I have seen in the older students”
The entire school staff, including the non-teaching personnel and the dinning room helpers, is involved in the organization of the Week of Solidarity. Chus, who works as a receptionist, describes the tasks performed by her:
“I collaborate in everything I can, during the Week of Solidarity. Some days before the event, I decorate the box where the financial contributions of the families, students and staff are kept. This year, the money will be donated to the project “Bana Ya Poveda”. I also sell tickets to participate in the raffle of a dinner, which will be attended by all the school staff. With the money obtained from that raffle, they will buy presents that will be raffled on the day of the feast to collect more money for the solidarity project. All this is done with enjoyment on the part of the organizers and encourages generosity of the participants.”
The families also play an active role in the preparation of the event, which has become a feast expected by everyone. Itziar, mother of a Secondary School boy and a volunteer herself too, relates her experience this way:
“On Sunday afternoon ee are busy preparing for the week: it is the Solidarity Week. Oh, yes!, the solidarity sandwich…, the selling of food and children’s art work in the open market, the voluntary work in the workshops, the decoration of the playground, the raffle, and the GREAT FEAST of Thursday. We open our piggy banks for a good cause: this year it is the Congo’s children. Don’t forget to take everyday some money to buy a sandwich for the morning brake. And also take some extra cash to lend it to someone who forgot to take it Surely, this year prices will be smaller because of the crisis.
On Wednesday, we prepare the special treat of the family to be taken on Thursday, very early in the morning. For sure our chocolate biscuit is a “ best seller.” We are already wishing to sing and dance in the playground with loud music. And, also, surely the teachers will assign us little homework so that we can stay until the end of the feast.
It is nice to think that, just by having fun and giving a little of our money we can help children who live so far away. We like to spend a little while of this Sunday to reflect on their living conditions. How could we live in those circumstances? Will they be happy?
We like Solidarity Week!"
Children games prepared by the school teachers
IInformation by a team of Ikasbide School
Translated by Aurora Cameno