International School Parent Magazine - Autumn 2019

World Academy, The International School
of Zug and Luzern, La Côte International
School and International School of
Lausanne to facilitate real-life learning
activities that bring world issues right into
the classroom.
Lorretta Cuff, Medair’s Educational
Community and Outreach Officer for
French-speaking Switzerland, explains,
“Our goal is to encourage students to be
more aware and empathetic to the needs
of others and take positive action to help
through fundraising and awareness raising.
“To achieve this, we offer turn-key
programmes ranging from classroom-based
activities to student-driven projects from
the primary to diploma level. We provide
resources for teacher-led sessions and offer
classroom visits to schools interested in
becoming more involved in a wide range
of global topics affecting our world’s
poorest and most vulnerable people. These
resources help make these topics come to
life and help to educate and engage students
with social causes.”
Through these resources, students across
Switzerland have learned about the plight
of refugees through a simulated learning
experience, exposing students to the same
difficult decisions refugees must make daily
to survive. Other students have benefited
from lectures by humanitarian workers
working on the frontlines of crises such as
the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. More
students have learned how their talents
can intersect with social justice, as was the
case for art students from the International
School of Zug and Luzern who created
a class project that advocated and raised
funds for global issues including povertyalleviation
and food scarcity.
“We help students realise that they can
harness their skills and talents for the good
of others, which is ultimately good for
them too,” adds Manon Blaufelder, Deputy
Manager of Medair’s Zurich office.
Barry Dequanne, Director of
International School of Zug and
Luzern, found the immersion activities
particularly meaningful to his students.
“The opportunity to involve students in
a simulation event rather than simply
presenting to them was extremely powerful
as a learning experience. Feeling what
a refugee would feel and walking in
someone else’s shoes enabled the students
to better understand what refugees have
to go through and helped them to develop
a deeper sense of empathy. Such an
experiential learning opportunity enriched
the discussions about migration that had
been going on within our classrooms and
helped our students to understand and
empathise, and in turn, serve as stepping
stones to taking action.”
Equipping students to be change-makers
“I believe there is a yearning for purpose
among young people — an eagerness to
know what they can do to help tackle the
issues they see in the world around them,”
says Medair CEO, David Verboom. “We
are grateful to have the opportunity to
encourage this global mindset and offer
them tangible and simple solutions to
making a difference in their world.”
With a great education, it’s safe to assume
that our young people will be equipped
with the skills need to be great teachers and
lawyers and parents and leaders. But if we
assist them in developing a generous heart
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT AUTUMN 2019 | 59
and a globally minded worldview, they can
have great with great impact too.
For more information or to bring these lifechanging
resources to your school or service
group, please contact: info.school@medair.
org or learn more at: https://www.medair.
org/schools/.
If you are interested in building your
child’s empathy right at home, consider the
Refugee Box – a card-based activity, which
can be easily set up around your kitchen
table. Through stories, videos and role
playing, the whole family can gain a deeper
understanding of the plight of refugees in
under 45 minutes.
WHO IS MEDAIR?
Medair is a Swiss humanitarian
organisation inspired by Christian
faith to relieve human suffering in
some of the world’s most remote
and devastated places. www.
medair.org
WHAT DO THEY DO?
Medair sends experts in health,
shelter, and water to help families
meet their most urgent needs
quickly during emergencies. They
then stay to help people recover
and safeguard against future
disasters.
WHERE DO THEY WORK?
Medair is active in 12 countries
responding to major disease
outbreaks, aiding survivors of
natural disasters, and helping
refugees affected by on-going
conflict.