The Burma/Myanmar Crisis

A huge natural disaster struck Burma recently: cyclone Nargis. Nargis has had devastating effects. It has made over a million people homeless, and killed tens of thousands.

Lots of people and organizations are trying to help. Here at Sotogrande International School we have had a “mufti” (non-uniform) day to raise money and a global reality meal where we all received a simple bowl of rice for lunch, like much of the world’s population does every day.

Freddie Larkins

Global Reality Meal

In June, Sotogrande International School hosted a global reality meal for lunch to raise awareness about the situation of many children who fell victim to the horrible cyclone in Burma. The school cantina served a meal of only rice, which is what some poor people in the world have, if they have anything at all. The cantina was decorated with posters and pictures with information about the conditions the cyclone victims have to live through every day, and global hunger facts such as 854 million people are hungry every day.

The meal really helped remind people how the world’s unfortunate people have to suffer through hunger every day. All of the money saved on the rice meal was donated to an aid agency in Burma. A lot of organization and time went into planning this and it was a complete success which raised awareness and will undoubtedly help the people of Burma in the near future.

Alex Beltran

As I approached the school cantina, I saw people sitting down at a table eating a plate of plain boiled rice. There was no meat, no yogurt, no fruit, and no bread as we are normally served; there was just plain, boiled, rice. My stomach rumbled loudly as I walked to get my plate of rice.

I sat down with my friends. Some of them complained that they were hungry and empty. I just ate my plain boiled rice. I felt thankful for what I had and upset because of the people suffering due to the lack of food and water. We had finished our rice and left the school cantina with a black hole in our stomachs but not as big, deep and black as the people who constantly suffer with very little food.

Keeley Boulting

 

Hunger

Hunger, to me
A simple word with no meaning.
For many, a reality
Suffered day by day,
A fight against starvation.
A silent,
Deadly enemy.

Hunger, to me
A simple feeling with no meaning.
For innocent children
Empty stomachs
Unimaginable torture
An awful way
To die.

Hunger, to me
A simple thought with no meaning.
For the majority
The worst
Of nightmares
Inescapable Unquenchable
Hunger.

Charlie Abrines