Grains of Life

Guyana's rice growers have banded together to lessen poverty level for their communities; now they look at the new trade rules, which are making them poorer than ever.

Materials

Videos

Websites

Documents

Study Guide

Goal

The goal of this video is to introduce students to OXFAM and the work that
is being done in Guyana to help the rice farmers. Also, to show how this work fits in to the United Nation's Millenium Development Goals (MDG) and/or Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Steps

1. Show the video "Grains of Life"

2. Ask students to form small groups to describe the following impressions from the video:

• What are the benefits of rice farming?

• What are the struggles that rice farmers are facing now?

• What are rice farmers asking for?

• Who is OXFAM and how are they helping the rice farmers?

• What Millennium Development Goals and/or Sustainable Development Goals does this project relate to?

3. Option for Take-Home Assignment. Using the internet links offered here, find more facts about:

• Oxfam Canada

• United Nations Millennium Development Goals

• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

4. Write 1.5 pages on the results of your research emphasizing the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals context for Oxfam Canada's work in Guyana.

5. Group discussion

In groups, first share your short essays and then, asking one person to represent the discussion, make presentations to the class about any or all of the above.
Include suggestions on how students could start an ongoing global justice project or become involved with NGO projects already in existence.