What kind of activities can I do for an African club?

Question

last year my friend and I went to the Teach African Youth Forum in Portland and decided to have an African club at school where students can learn more about Africa and how they can help, but we don't know what kind of projects to do. We need some good ideas that will get high school students more involved in what is going on around the world. Projects that they can do at school as well as going on field trips. What should we start with and what should we do to make this club intersting and educational? I was thinking that in the future we could collect books and send them to parts of Africa where schools need books to give the kids a better education. This is a big project though and it's not something I think we should do when we are just starting a club. Maybe for now some smaller projects that will introduce the purpose of the club and what we want to accomplish. Things that will get the students interested. Please help us out. We have never done something like this before. Thanks!

Answer 1

I second the mancala board game.

You can do fundraisers at your school and use the money to sponsor a child in Africa, or buy a school in Africa a computer.

Make Ethiopian food (mmmm) and have a party.

Create pamphlets to distribute around school about things like AIDS or the Darfur conflict.  Or you can choose to focus on the more positive things about Africa.

Contact a school somewhere in Africa and start a pen-pal exchange.

Watch movies like Hotel Rwanda or Blood Diamond, and discuss how accurately those movies depict what really happened.

Go to a local zoo and check out the African animals exhibit.

The Archbishop Desmond Tutu of S. Africa often goes around the world and talks about peace.  If he's in your neck of the woods , try to arrange for your club to go and see him.  (I saw him and the Dalai Lama together!!)

Try to learn some basic phrases of an African language such as Swahili or Zulu or Xhosa.

Have the club members get in groups and prepare presentations of the geography and culture of various regions in Africa.  (check out travelblog.org for some awesome photos and stories)

eta:  Vote on a team or country to support for soccer or rugby.  Get everyone together to watch the matches on television.

So many possibilities!

Answer 2

mancala board game

music

drums

get an african  dance group to do a presentation that involve the kids

weaving