Hertsmere Primary School collects School Survival Kits
On Monday 19 May, 60 Year Six students (ages 11-12) from Hertsmere Jewish Primary School’s (HJPS) launched WJR’s (World Jewish Relief) ‘School Survival Project’, to support the charity’s unique humanitarian aid programme Gifts in Kind (GiK).
The GiK programme sends donations of new and nearly new goods to deprived communities across Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. Last year alone £3m worth of items such as warm clothes, winter boots, children’s toys and basic toiletries were shipped directly to grateful recipients straight out of the WJR warehouse in Neasden.
In many countries in Eastern Europe, schools operate very differently to those in the UK. Children must bring in their own stationery to classes or risk not being able to take part. However this often leads to difficulties for some families who are so poor that school stationery is an unobtainable luxury. Often, children would prefer not to attend classes than be embarrassed by being at a disadvantage.
The School Survival Project was set up to deal with this issue and involves an interactive and educational assembly led by WJR’s Community Development Co-ordinator, Charlotte Casselson. The Hertsmere students were eager to help once they understood just how different life is for Jewish children who live only four hours away by plane. HJPS students in Year Six devised a plan to encourage everyone at the school to get involved including: designing posters, manning the collection point, giving presentations, leading sessions in classes about the difficulties faced by children in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union and what can be done to help.
A mountain of winter clothes and school stationery has already been collected but more support is needed. The stationery will be collected at HJPS until the end of June and once the donations have been received, they will be prepared for distribution and sent to children in Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova.
Jewish schools all over the UK have taken part in the collections, which not only benefit thousands of children but also engage the young UK Jewish community with WJR’s work and the concept of charity and social responsibility – which is essential if WJR are to fulfil its aim of ensuring on-going support and lasting impact for the people they help.
Commenting on the project, Charlotte Casselson, WJR’s Community Development Co-ordinator said:
“WJR is very proud of every pupil of HJPS – and they should be thrilled with the success of their project. WJR feels strongly that every member of the UK Jewish community – no matter their age – is provided with a relevant opportunity to get involved with our work. The GiK programme is just one way to offer some direct support for people in need around the world.”
