“it is a phenomenal insight and opportunity and it really does capture the kids’ interest” Chestnut Grove School

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Street To Street offers students worldwide the opportunity to engage directly with street youth in Sierra Leone as they try and get off the street and into education. Via vlogs and the internet  young people aged 12 – 16 in Freetown  upload weekly videos, so students can respond, asking questions, building relationships or just cheering them on. It’s a massive and intense introduction to the hugely complex issues around the causes of poverty, and of the equally huge pitfalls involved in trying to help those caught up in it – but one which makes it immediate and real.  For the Sierra Leoneans it is a chance to get off the streets and into education or training. One teacher said.

“Street to Street has changed a demotivated and disinterested class into an engaged and captive audience. They love seeing real kids in a real life situation. It fits perfectly with Citizenship and Geography themes in school, particularly in developing empathy and taking steps to overcome stereotypes and the ongoing nature of the project facilitates in depth learning about another culture in a way a one off DVD or textbook cannot” Elaine Cameron, Chestnut Grove.

Street to Street in schools can be part of Geography, Global and International Studies and Citizenship as well as exploring issues around the Millennium Development Goals. We explore themes such as maternity, eradication of Poverty, Employment, Health and Education. See aims

BACKGROUND

Sierra Leone is the poorest country in the world according to the UN index 2008. Up to 70% of youth unemployed, 20% of children without a primary carer (UNICEF) and over half the population under 18. But these issues will come alive through the experiences of our street children connecting directly with their peers in the UK in a way that’s not only unique and powerful, but often surprising and unusual.

 Although it may appear that our young people have nothing in common, they will come to see that isn’t true. From football to music, Playstation to Trainers – through to fights, loneliness and joy and all the same problems of growing up into adulthood they will find they talk the same language and share the same dreams. The benefits for the British students are self evident. But for the street children from Freetown too there will be a considerable impact, as we try and assist them off the streets and into education. Street to Street is designed as a long term project, allowing relationships to build and understanding to grow over time with all the volatility, passion and emotional ups and downs that chart teenage life. But most of all, whilst refusing to deny hardship and suffering and setbacks, it will tilt against the prevailing attitude towards the developing world, and be resolutely and defiantly optimistic We don’t give up on our own kids, so we don’t give up on theirs…

 The current young people in Sierra Leone who are participating in Street To Street are:

Ballack - named after a Chelsea footballer. His parents are dead. He had a few years schooling but could not afford to stay in school unsupported. He wants to be like Obama.

Youngest - has a mother but she is poor and forced him to go out to sell water so he ran away. He doesn’t want to grow old on the streets.

Marie – her parents are dead so she lives with a gang of boys and does their laundry and cooking. She wants to be a leader one day.

Immanuel - had a stepmother who abused him so he ran away.

Timberland - has lived on the streets since he was 7. He gets his name from the shoes he used to wear. He wants to be a lawyer.

White Boy has no parents and little education. He washes cars for money and wants to go to school