F.5 Liberal Studies Field Trip
To provide students with an experience of people who live in poverty, Form 5 DSE Liberal Studies Field Trip was held on 22nd March. Students were offered an opportunity to appreciate the meaningful “Struggle for Survival” programme by the Crossroads Foundation. This simulation put students into the shoes of those in poverty. Students were assigned to various family units and they needed to work out an existence by making paper bags out of newspaper and home-made glue. Each family should earn enough to pay for the rent, food, sanitation and medical needs. If they were fortunate to earn more than basic needs, one of their family members would receive education. Those failed to make it would end up in the hands of a loan shark and live "under the bridge." This simulation gave participants challenges and chances to experience the intricacy of the poverty web. Students shared their reflections after the event as follows:
"The simulation we participated in was eye-opening and life-changing, because we were able to experience the life of people living in poverty. After getting ourselves dirty with newspapers and glue made out of flour and desperately trying to sell our newspaper bags, I realized that those living in poverty not only live more difficult lives than us , the more privileged, but they have to make sacrifices for their families - sacrifices that I would never even have considered. I now have a deeper understanding of true poverty as we were put under pressure and stress to 'stay alive'.” (Asia Manuel, 5C)
"The trip was very meaningful because I could actually experience how it felt to be when living in a poverty situation, and with no money." (Chanpreet Kaur, 5M)
"The simulation was an eye opener to the reality of the world we live in, that poverty is the feeling of being helpless to obtain things to merely survive. It instigated a want for change and I think we have been able to truly live what we learn, contextualize outside the classroom. Hence, I would say it was very practical and a hit of reality." (Lavisha Korani, 5M)
