Os Senhores Manuel e o mundo

Partly because I am tired of proctoring written tests, partly because I am tired of grading, partly because I didn’t want to cater to more students who didn’t come to class when we had the test and “NEED” a make-up exam, and partly because of my most recent lunch date, the make-up “exam” we had for my 11^th grade computer and technology class was a graded debate.  The question being debated was “How can we better the world?”

After they finished being amazed and confused about such an open-ended question -
“But teacher, better the world in what terms?” “There really is no right answer?” Their answers to this question varied – caring for the environment so agriculture has a future, better educated farmers, building more vocational schools and giving more access to students to these vocational schools, bettering the training of doctors, building more hospitals, and creating more scholarships (that could be fairly won) for students to study at all levels.

These are all very good answers – it is obvious to me that despite the challenges that each one of my students face in getting enough food, studying (and passing if not able to pay the “tax”), caring of family members, etc., that they have really thought about what they would change if they could, and what they hope will change for Mozambique in the future.

I focused the conversation after that discussion on my lunch date with Manuel.  Selfishly, I was looking for hope and answers.  But I also wanted them to think about how they can help people like Manuel now.

The students said it is important to give money if you have it to give.  They said it is important to treat them as people (Podemos conviver com eles).  They said it is important educate others who might be afraid of strange behaviors or possible illness. 

A side to this I had not thought of (I haven’t gone native quite yet, obviously) is that sometimes people like Manuel are victims of “feitiçaria” or witchcraft.  All students present quickly agreed that this is a possibility, but I was happy to hear that they didn’t think that they couldn’t help someone afflicted by such magic.  They said the same things hold true, even if someone has been cursed.  Give them money. Give them food.  Give them friendship.