1.3 A: Challenging exclusion Duration: 60+ minutes Instructions: Level of complexity: 3 Important note! At a particular stage of this activity participants will be divided into three distinct groups. As an example, we have suggested shirt colour as a way to divide the participants. You can replace wearing either blue or red with hair colour, eye colour, other shirt colours or whatever feature will clearly distinguish between three different subgroups and adapt the activity accordingly. The activity also situates participants in a school setting. If it is carried out in a different environment, feel free to adapt it accordingly. Knowledge/Subjects: Governance, Politics, Social Studies, Social Activism Round One Divide the participants into groups of 4-5 people. Read the following news report and then give the participants time in their groups to come up with a response to the decision that has just been announced. Their plan can include reasons why they disagree with the ruling, potential compromises that can be reached, how the ruling would affect people, and anything else they deem necessary. The news report is as follows: Values/Attitudes: Belief that people can bring about change, Commitment to participation & inclusion “The head teacher has announced that, starting today, those who wear blue must pay a small fee in order to enter the school building. This is because the colour blue has been shown to increase electricity costs within the school and the school must save money in any way it can right now. This change is effective immediately and there will be absolutely no exceptions. Any students with blue clothing must pay the fee in order to enter the school.” Have a spokesperson from each group briefly read the plan the group has come up with. Round two After each group has shared their plan, announce the following: “In response to the complaints we have received regarding the fee involving the colour blue, we have decided to outlaw all blue from campus. Anyone wearing blue will not be allowed to enter the school from this point forward. Also, all those who wear the colour red are no longer allowed to use the school restrooms as red has been shown to reflect light and damage mirrors and floors. These changes are effective immediately.” Give the participants time to again develop a response to the recent development. However, this time, if the participants want to, they can combine teams in order to come up with a response. Skills: Activism, Critical Thinking, Comparative Analysis, Group Collaboration, Decision Making, Effective Communication, Empathy, Persuasive Argumentation, Research Objectives: • For participants to experience first-hand how bad rules can lead to exclusion, organise themselves and take action to affect change by promoting recognition and belonging. Materials: Paper and pen/pencil to brainstorm and write the plan. Art supplies, if available, to allow for creatively designing campaigns Connection to “The Girl Who Lost Her Country”: In Kenya Neha met the Makonde. They were stateless but marched to Nairobi to meet the president and demand their rights. They are now citizens! Talking to the Makonde, Neha learned that they were first brought from Mozambique to Kenya by the British in 1936. Despite living there for generations since, they were later treated as foreigners. On various occasions they were promised that they would be registered, but this never happened, and they faced many hardships. After trying all legal processes, they decided to march to Nairobi to meet the president. They gathered in Makongeni in the coast region, started with prayers and then began the march. In total, the Makonde trekked 526 kilometres, until they reached the president’s house in Nairobi. They faced many challenges on the way. They were even stopped by the police. But they kept on going. When the president finally did meet them, he asked for their forgiveness, because it took such a long time to end their exclusion and bring justice to them as fellow Kenyans. The Makonde are now Kenyan citizens! (Neha’s Book p. 37-40) 23