Mary's Meals, a simple solution to world hunger

By forming Mary’s Meals committees and giving pupils the responsibility to run fundraising and awareness projects, pupils can develop communication, teamwork, and presentation skills, as well as building their own confidence and creating a huge sense of achievement by seeing the real difference that their work is making to the lives of others.

Eco-Schools
The Backpack Project also works towards Eco-Schools targets, by re-using materials to help other children around the world to make the most of their education.

Curriculum for Excellence
If you are a teacher in Scotland, then you may well be wrestling to implement the Curriculum for Excellence, so we have been working with teachers to develop materials to help you do this – across all subjects and abilities. By taking part in a Mary’s Meals project, pupils can show that they are:

• Responsible citizens: by learning about the issues facing their counterparts in other countries, pupils can make informed choices about their role in a global society.

• Effective contributors: by working together in their class, school or community, to run a fundraiser or Backpack Appeal, pupils can learn teamwork skills, and make a real difference to someone’s life. 
• Confident individuals: huge pride and confidence can be found by doing something to help others. 
• Successful learners: by developing an awareness about the world outside their community, and how our lives interact.

Every Child Matters
While teachers in the rest of the UK might not be dealing with the Curriculum for Excellence, the Mary’s Meals resources can still be an invaluable tool in the classroom, and complement the aims of Every Child Matters:

• Help children be healthy: by learning about the importance of nutrition.
• To enjoy and achieve: by trying out new activities and learning new skills.
• Achieve economic well-being: learn about the importance of budgeting by looking at those who survive on the bare minimum.
• Make a positive contribution: by donating their time, skills, or resources, to Mary’s Meals.

“Working with Mary’s Meals has given us a ‘window’ on life and the challenges faced daily in developing countries – creating an excellent context for us to embed a ‘Global Citizenship’ dimension in our curriculum.”

Tony Begley, Holyrood Secondary School

Backpack Project
School feeding gets children into the classroom, but once there many don’t have the basic materials needed to learn. The Backpack Project means you can help provide these things!

Mary’s Meals Day
Hold a day where hunger and poverty are the focus. Serve a bowl of porridge to each child (or Likuni Phala, the nutritious porridge served daily by Mary’s Meals in Malawi), and explain that for many children who benefit from Mary’s Meals, this is all they will eat that day. Use the powerpoints, films, and lesson ideas to bring home the reality of the lives led by those fed by Mary’s Meals, and ask the pupils if they would be prepared to donate what they would spend on treats, to help those less fortunate instead. You could also hold sponsored silences, read-a-thons, sports events, or something more creative. See our Fundraising Brochure for more ideas & information.

Mary’s Meals Ambassadors
Would your senior pupils benefit from becoming Mary’s Meals Ambassadors? They could visit local schools or nurseries, churches or community groups, or businesses, to tell them about the charity and what they are doing to support it. For more info contact schools@marysmeals.org.

Mary’s Meals Committee
Form a Mary’s Meals Committee and give the pupils a taste of the boardroom! Designate key roles e.g. Chairman, Finance Secretary, Press Officer, Spokesman etc. Let pupils set a fundraising strategy, take on the organisation of a backpack collection, approach local businesses for support, and write press releases about what they are doing.

Great for the CV as committee work includes business, presentation, and marketing skills, as well as practical experience in finance and citizenship, whilst also developing interpersonal skills. A perfect learning activity for pupils of all abilities. T-shirts available for all committee members and Mary’s Meals Ambassadors! Email schools@marysmeals.org.

For older Primary, and Secondary, committees, in certain areas in the UK, we can provide business experts to work with the pupils. A certificate of achievement to recognise their work is available.

Powerpoint Presentations

1. 10 Minute General Powerpoint (30mb)*
2. Morality Discussion Powerpoint*

* In order to access the accompanying notes save these files directly to your computer then open from there.

General Downloads

1. Recycle for Mary’s Meals Poster
2. Reading Comprehension Passage
3. Colouring Pictures
4. 20 facts about Mary’s Meals
5. Religious & Moral Lesson for Primaries
6. Whatever It Takes – Group Workshop files (zip file)
   

Film and Photo Downloads

1. Feeding the Future Short Film (School Display Format) – 48mb
2. A Back Packs Journey Short Film (School Display Format – 30mb
   

Age 4-11 Teaching Resources

1. Age 4-6 General Plan
2. Age 4-6 Lesson Plan – Religious and Moral
3. Age 7-11 Lesson Plan – General
4. Age 7-11 Lesson Plan – Religious and Moral
5. Flag Exercise
6. Word Search
   

Age 11-18 Teaching Resources

1. Age 11-13 Lesson Plan – General
2. Age 11-13 Lesson Plan – Religious and Moral
3. Age 14-18 Lesson Plan – General
4. Age 14-18 Lesson Plan – Religious and Moral
   

“ At Glenwood Nursery School, parents and children responded with tremendous enthusiasm to our appeal to fill and recycle a backpack.  The children were involved in making informed choices and decisions. They became more aware of the needs of children from other cultures and backgrounds.  They are the responsible citizens of today who will grow into the responsible citizens of tomorrow.”

Karin Gilhooly, Glenwood Nursery

Backpack Project
School feeding gets children into the classroom, but once there many don’t have the basic materials needed to learn. The Backpack Project means you can help provide these things!

Mary’s Meals Day
Hold a day where hunger and poverty are the focus. Serve a bowl of porridge to each child (or Likuni Phala, the nutritious porridge served daily by Mary’s Meals in Malawi), and explain that for many children who benefit from Mary’s Meals, this is all they will eat that day. Use the powerpoints, films and lesson ideas to bring home the reality of the lives led by those fed by Mary’s Meals, and ask the pupils if they would be prepared to donate what they would spend on treats, to help those less fortunate instead? You could also hold sponsored silences, read-a-thons, sports events, or something more creative? See our Fundraising Brochure for more ideas & information.

Powerpoint Presentations

1. 10 Minute General Powerpoint*

* In order to access the accompanying notes save these files directly to your computer then open from there.

General Downloads

1. Likuna Pala Recipe
2. Recycle for Mary’s Meals Poster
3. Colouring Pictures
4. Flag Exercise

It’s a chance to meet new friends, and a great opportunity to work alongside a successful and renowned international charity, boosting your CV by testing your marketing, communication and motivational skills, and to use your time at uni to do something to be really proud of!

We already have Mary’s Meals groups established at Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities, with Strathclyde University to follow this year. However, wherever you are, we would love to hear from you! Contact schools@marysmeals.org for info.

___________________________

1. University & College Fundraiser Role Description
2. University & College Fundraiser Application Form