Just Trading Scotland has challenged schools, as well as churches, colleges and other organisations, to sell 90kg of rice – the amount a Malawian farmer must sell to pay for a year’s basic secondary education for one child. This has proved extremely popular.

If you are looking at this in a church context, particularly in relation to a Harvest Celebration, please click HERE .

If you are interested in the educational aspects please read on …

• Pupils have an achievable goal: selling 90 kg of rice, which can be undertaken at a whole school level, by one class or by different groups within a class
• The challenge quantifies the benefits of fair trade: this is what a farmer has to grow to pay for one of his children to go to school; this is what we have to do to support him in that task.
• It shows how we can help to empower farmers: creating reliable markets for smallholder farmers where they can get fair prices means they can develop their farms , work their way out of poverty and help to build up the prosperity of their country.
• It shows pupils how they can make a difference and so empowers them
• It creates a link between the pupils and the farmers who they are supporting.

How to integrate the challenge into your teaching:

• Please visit the Curriculum Planning Pages and Pathways on our Education section for ideas of how to integrate the 90kg challenge and fair trade as a topic into your teaching.

How does it work?

• For more information or to place an order, ring the JTS warehouse on 0141 887 2882 or email sales@justtradingscotland.co.uk. They will answer any questions and arrange the free delivery to your school.
• The cost to you is £243 which includes 90kg rice, posters, a chart where you can record sales and a PowerPoint presentation about the rice and the farmers.

Around 400 groups have participated since February 2009, including pupils at Abronhill Primary School in Cumbernauld.

Deputy Head Teacher Joyce Shannon said the children had shown great enthusiasm for the project.
“We had a fantastic response from the whole school community,” she said. “Classes cooked with the rice, and we used posters and newsletters to encourage parents to buy it. We also organised a fair trade coffee morning with local groups like the British Legion, and every time someone came to the school they left with a bag – we could have set up a stall at the Barras.”
Ms Shannon hopes to use the new CFE module – which incorporates the 90kg challenge – across the school and said the fair trade topic offers real educational benefits.
“The focus on one country means that pupils develop understanding and empathy for farmers in Malawi,” she said.