Sydney students keep it sweet for good cause

At Hilltop Road Public School in Sydney’s west, a wobbly effort is required when it comes to learning about saving water.

The school’s curriculum incorporates fundraising activities to help children in developing countries, and last year its grade 2 classes banded together to sell jelly to raise money for water filters in Cambodia, as part of their studies on water conservation and sanitation.

“We were studying how some countries do not have access to clean drinking water and this began our fundraising efforts to make a difference in the world,” teacher Mary Nurkic (pictured above, on the right) says.

The children raised more than $1,370 after a day of selling blue-coloured jelly at recess and lunch, which provided 54 ceramic filters to some of the most remote communities in Cambodia, where families struggle to access safe drinking water.

While a shortage of clean water is no laughing matter, eight-year-old students Darcy and Ekin (pictured above with ChildFund staffer Anne Marshall in green) say the fundraising effort made learning fun.

“It taught me not to waste water because people in other countries need water,” Darcy says. “It was fun because we made posters and everyone came to school wearing blue.”

Ekin says the activities taught him the importance of helping those in need. “It was fun and exciting because we were trying to help people in Cambodia.”

In 2016 the school raised $1,184 through fundraising efforts to provide children in Honduras and the Philippines with water purifiers and access to safe drinking water in their homes.

Mary says students are taught exactly where and how the money they’ve raised is used.

“The ChildFund website makes it simple to find a cause to support and the students have received direct feedback about where the money has gone,” Mary says.

She says incorporating fundraising activities into study units is a fun way for children to give back and learn about important issues at home and around the world.

“I hope that students learnt how fortunate they are to have access to clean drinking water and that people around the world are not as fortunate,” Mary says. “I also hope that students realised that they can make a difference, no matter how small.”

Fundraising provides you with a great way to help children who live in poverty by collectively making a donation with impact.

Learn how to start your own fundraising activity to help children in need.