1. A journey to Kenya

2. Teacher’s Notes
Ask has anyone in your class been to Kenya, or know somebody who has been to Kenya? Try to find it on the world map.
Go online and calculate the distance and route you would take to get from Ireland to Kenya.
Make links to their own lives by asking them if they have ever used these modes of transport and where they travelled to.
Decide what modes of transport you would be best to use.

3. Nairobi City Kericho Turkana Region Diani Beach Teacher’s Notes
Challenge any stereotypes students may have about Kenya by showing a balanced view of the country.
Nairobi has many similarities with Irish cities – big buildings and hotels, lots of cars and buses.
Kericho County is located in the highlands. Lots of tea is grown there.
The Turkana region is in the North Western part of Kenya. It is very dry.
Diani Beach is a popular tourist destination.
What different landscapes do we have in Ireland?
Turkana Region
Diani Beach

4. Teacher’s Notes
Highlight the issue of interdependence. We can buy tea, watermelons and bananas in the shop, but we cannot grow them naturally due to our climate. We must import them from countries like Kenya.
Many vegetables that grow in Kenya we can grow in Ireland (corn, carrots, green beans), but we still sometimes import them. Why do you think we do this? What impact does this have on our environment?
Encourage students to look at the labels on their food next time they do the shopping.

5. Teacher’s Notes
Drums are a popular instrument in Kenya.
Do we play the drums in Ireland?
Discuss Irish traditional instruments.

6. What is climate change? Follow CJ to find out……
Teacher’s Notes
Climate change affects us here in Ireland, but it also affects people living in Kenya.
CJ the Climate Justice bee can teach your students about climate change and climate justice.
Click on the video icon to watch.

7. My name is Amos. I am 12 years old
My name is Amos. I am 12 years old. Maths is my favourite subject in school.
Classroom video
Teacher's Notes
Amos is 12 years old and lives in Tharaka Nithi, Kenya.
Just like students in your class he goes to school.
Amos is very good at long division.
Ask students to figure out the sum 572 divided by 22.
Watch the video of Amos and his classmates doing the same sum.

8. Teacher’s Notes
The boys in his school like to do the high jump. Watch the video.
Discuss the similarities and differences between Irish and Kenyan games.

9. What is important to you?
Teacher’s Notes
Amos was given a camera and asked to take pictures of things around his home that are important to him.
His mum Teresina, his brother Antony (16) and his baby cousin are in this photo. They are standing outside of their house.
Ask students to think about what they would take photos of.
What is important to you?

10. Teacher’s Notes
Amos took photographs of the crops that his family grows. They grow millet, green grams, cow peas and sorghum. These are for eating, and for selling at the market to earn money.
The millet is ground by pounding the grain on the flat rock, with a smaller round rock.
Crops need water to grow. Climate change affects the amount of rain, and the seasons in which it falls therefore it is harder for Amos’ mum to grow her crops.
Amos dad had to move far away to find work. He is working on a tea farm. He sends money back to his family so that they can buy food at the market. He is only able to visit home every 2 months.

11. At the market Teacher’s Notes
Amos visits the market with him mum once a month.
It is 10km away from their home. It takes about 2 hours to walk there.
They buy clothes, meat and milk at the market.
Discuss the shops that your students buy their clothes in. But where are they made?
Ask students to look at the tags on their clothes or shoes. Put a pin on each country that is called out on a world map. How many countries were identified?

12. My husband sends me money through my phone
My husband sends me money through my phone. I go to the shop with a pin number and they give me the money.
Teacher’s Notes
Amos has no electricity in his house.
There is a shop at the near by where Teresina, Amos’ mother, charges her phone. It takes 4 hours to charge. Teresina leaves it there overnight and collects it the next day. Once it is charged it lasts for 6 days.
Discuss what would happen if Teresina could not charge her phone? (she could not receive money. Her phone is very important!)

13. Does this look like the supermarket you do your shopping in?
Teacher’s Notes
Half an hours drive from where Amos lives is a big supermarket.
Discuss by asking questions such as: Does it look like the supermarket where you do your shopping? How does it look different to the market Amos visits with his mum? Amos and his mum have to walk one hour each way to a river to collect water. Do you think this is fair?
Highlight the injustice: there is enough food and water for everyone in the world, but not everyone has access to it.

14. .
Teacher’s Notes
Through Trócaire’s support, local organisations in Kenya are working with Amos, his family and his neighbours to increase the amount of moisture in the soil through adding compost and organic manure. Farmers like Amos' mum are making terraces along contours to slow down the water flow to help it to seep into to soil rather than run off. They are also building an irrigation system to bring water from the river higher up farmland lower down the valley.

15. Teacher’s Notes
Climate change is a global issue. Although rich countries are doing the most to cause climate change, people living in poorer countries are feeling the effects of it much more. This is unjust.
We all share our Planet Earth together and have a responsibility to take action against climate change. Encourage your class or whole school to raise awareness about climate change and to take action against it.