“School friends at a distance” is growing

Thirty-five projects in twenty-nine countries of the world, and 1,847 bursaries given over five years. A network of sharing has come to life at a global level, among “Schoolmates”- school friends at a distance. This is a project of Teens for Unity, of the Focolare Movement, which is reaching more schools each year. In 2006, 455 bursaries were awarded.

What is Schoolmates? With this project, Teens for Unity promote a network of relationships among schools. Classes from different countries write to one another, to share their talents and their culture, language, traditions, and their current projects for a more united world. A solidarity fund provides bursaries for courses for children in less developed countries.

The commitment: Any class or group that wants to join Schoolmates, must commit itself to living the Golden Rule, “to do to others what you would have them do to you, and not do to others, what you wouldn’t want them to do to you”, to start correspondence with other classes or groups, and support bursaries for studies. A class can commit itself to one bursary per year, with each child who takes part giving 1 euro per month. The contribution can come either from personal savings, or from the involvement of the whole class in various activities depending on the creativity of the children. Eagerly awaited activities each year are the Spring Fairs.

In 2007 there are 30 projects in 26 countries. Here we take a closer look at some of them. In recent years, the lack of resources and of a national programme have resulted in the collapse of the Albanian school system. The most serious problems are low salaries for teachers, and the lack of teaching materials and suitable buildings. The project aims to give the poorest children the opportunity of completing compulsory schooling, and to take professional courses to improve their prospects and to contribute as adults to the life of their nation. See the project at:
http://school-mates.org/progetti/main_albania_ita.html

In Bandra the “queen of suburbs” of Mumbai, support for the most marginalized children. There are 20 million inhabitants in Mumbai, and the continual process of urbanisation has led to the formation of enormous slums where masses of people, attracted to the city by the possibility of earning minimal wages, live in extreme poverty. Before school starts, the slum children go to work in order to earn something, and are tired out by the time they arrive. Although they study hard, in those conditions they often fail. At present there are 16 bursaries in action to enable the recipients to finish their studies and find a decent job in the future. See the project at:
http://school-mates.org/progetti/main_india_bandra_ita.html