St Joseph’s students walk to respect water
Students at a Feilding school have put themselves in the shoes of those less fortunate.
Children at St Joseph’s School simulated people in developing countries by carrying buckets of water around the school track for an hour.
The programme was part of the Lenten fundraiser for the Catholic organisation Caritas, who support people in need in the Pacific Islands.
The fundraisers have a different theme each year - this year was climate change.
Admittedly a far cry from the daily trials of hauling water from remote wells and streams, the lesson still seemed to hit home.
In addition to hauling water jugs around the track, the students spent time reading facts about the global water crisis, a reality that leads to a wide range of preventable disease and hardship.
The lesson in empathy also provided the students with a renewed appreciation of a natural resource we tended to take for granted, St Joseph’s Mary Howard said.
‘‘We participate in a hands on way as a practical way of showing we care,’’ Howard said.
‘‘The activities children did were
‘‘They were very hungry by the end of the day.’’ Mary Howard
to heighten their awareness of... how the weather affects crops and water supplies.’’
Older pupils visited the supermarket armed with $200, which was responsible for feeding the school of 130 people.
They slept overnight in the hall and prepared simple meals with rice, sausages and damper.
‘‘They were very hungry by the end of the day.’’