Our activities in schools show that French pupils and students express a real interest in the relationships between rich countries of the Northern hemisphere and the poor countries of the South. It gives opportunity for a civic and interactive education.
First contacts.
Members of the Association intervene in schools on request. When it is possible Nigeriens, either living in Rennes or passing through, attend these meetings. It usually takes two hours and consists of a presentation of the country, its geography, history and economy, then a presentation of the main activities of the association in the fields of education , health and culture.
The Association suggests a presentation with a slideshow, it brings documents and initiates a discussion with the students. Practically the school needs to make a videopprojector available for our laptop.
School programs and pedagogy.
The first contact can be used to initiate “itineraries of discovery “in middle schools or “project work “in high schools. The proposed content is in keeping with the civic, legal and social education programs (ECJS) of the 10th grade (2nd in the French system,)
School life
The outcome of such meetings can be club activities to arrange exchanges with Nigerien schools and provide support to them. The club members can read or stage Nigerien tales, prepare picture exhibits, sell Nigerien arts and crafts.
AECIN also operates extra-curricular workshops.
Examples of actions
- Bourgchevreuil Primary School in Cesson-Sévigné : in 2011 AESCD met seven classes and organized a solidarity cross country race to provide a hundred newborns with birth kits (talcum powder, soap, Cologne) in Dankassari.
- Beausoleil Primary School in Cesson-Sévigné : in 2012, AESCD met the whole school , the pupils baked and sold cakes to aid the school garden set up in Dankassari. The pupils’delegates donated a cheque of 452 euros to Mamadou Saidou, the Tarbiyya Tatali coordinator in Niger, when he visited Cesson in June 2012.
This action was maintained in 2013 and 2014.
- In 2016, Maman Chadaou met pupils’ delegates from the three Cesson-Sévigné schools, and a Charity Relay Race for Dankassari involved over 800 pupils from Cesson. Following the race nearly 3000 euros were collected, which will cover the manufacture of 60 table-bench units in three schools of the rural community of Dankassari. A Grade 4 class in Cesson started a pen friend project with a class in Dankassari. The operations were maintained in in 2017-2018 and in 2018-2019,
- Cesson Bourchevreuil Junior High School: in 2016 three Grade 7 classes met an ANIRE student specializing in hydrogeology on the topic of access to water, and the film Lougou Gets Water at Last was shown. Then, late in 2016, a convention was signed between the Junior High School and AESCD, and another meeting between three Grade 7 classes and Mamane Chadaou took place during his visit. A pen friend project with three Junior High Schools of Dankassari is being launched and thanks to a collection (350 euros), Lougou Primary School is being equipped with table-bench units. In 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, involving 7th grade students who watched the films Lougou Gets Water at Last and Three girls in Dankassari.
- Orgères High School in 2019: 6 classes of 7th grade attended the film ’Lougou Gets Water At Last’ and ’Three Girls In Dankassari’, followed by discussions.