You will need:

  • Laptop and projector
  • Videofrom cafod.org.uk/secondary/lent
  • Details of any fundraisers you have already planned
  • Give it up target poster – sent to your school in January
  • 6 – 12 readers
  • 18 students in the front row, ready to stand and sit at the appropriate moments.

Reader 1: Welcome to our assembly for CAFOD Family Fast Day.
By now, you’ll know that in our school we love to raise money for good causes. We’ve [insert detail of your recent fundraising].
CAFOD believes that it’s important for schools in England and Wales to know how their fundraising during Lent has made a difference to some of the poorest people in the world. / The title slide contains an animation – visible only in ‘Slide show’ mode.
Reader 2: In 2012, 884 million people [18 students at the front stand up] had no access to clean water. That meant people – mostly girls and women – walking miles every year to fetch water, children missing school, families not being able to grow food, and people getting ill from drinking dirty water. /
Reader 3: The latest global statistics are for 2015. By 2015, that figure of 884million had fallen to 663million1[5 of the 18 students sit down].Lots of people around the world made this possible, and there’s still a long way to go, but CAFOD supporters were part of that huge change. This is how… [The remaining 13 students sit down]
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Reader 4: In 2012, CAFODheld a Lent appeal called Thirst for Change, and CAFOD supporters raised an incredible £9m!Perhaps you took part when you were at primary school?
Through something called match funding, the UK Government doubled the amount given by CAFOD supporters, making a grand total of £18m.
As a result, through partnerslike Caritas (the global network of Catholic charities), CAFOD has helped hundreds of poor communities with life-giving water projects. /
Reader 5:Communities like this one in Zimbabwe. This photo shows Karen and Choolwe [Chool – way] from Simatelele [See – ma – tay – lay – lay] secondary school, with their health club teacher, Memory.
Money raised by CAFOD supporters in Lent 2012 funded the drilling of a borehole at Karen and Choolwe’s village, giving a constant water supply. But that was only the start.
[You could show CAFOD Lent 18young people’s video here in place of Readers 6–9. It lasts 3 minutes.] /
Reader 6:More than a quarter of under five-year-olds in Zimbabwe do not grow properly, due to malnutrition. At Simatelele, malnourished students sometimes missed school or fell asleep in class.
So, with their new water supply, the villagers began to plant vegetables.
Zimbabweans usually grow potatoes, maize and other grains, rather than vegetables. Growing any food is a challenge in dry areas, made even more difficult by climate change. And many people have never had a chance to learn which nutrients they need for a healthy diet. /
Reader 7:So, Memory set up a school health club where Karen, Choolwe and their friends learn what is needed for a healthy diet and which plants are the most nutritious.Then, in the school garden, they can practise new skills for planting at home.
The students share what they have learned with their parents. Memory says: “If you go into the communities, you can see they’re now growing vegetables and foods that are good for nutrition.” /
Reader 8: At the health club,the students also learn about good hygiene. In 2015, Caritas helped the community to builda school toilet block. You can just see it in the background of the first photo.
Meanwhile,the school garden has been expanding. The students have even added an orchard of fruit trees.
When these photos were taken they had just harvested a cereal crop called ‘sorghum’to sell and were replanting the plots with vegetables. /
Reader 9: The health club has also been growing. Now it is open to every pupil in the school.
With nourishing food being grown in the community, students have a better diet. They can concentrate in class and more students are passing their exams. /
Reader 10:So, one borehole has led to an entire community transforming.And these changes all happened because CAFOD supporters raised money during Lent.
Reader 11: But there are still many people who need the same support.That’s why, this Lent, CAFOD is challenging us to give it upand to see our fasting transform into something amazing! /
Reader 12:For example, if we give up fast food, the money we save can be transformed into fresh food for other communities like Karen and Choolwe’s, so that children can grow up strong and healthy.
If we choose to give up treats – like cupcakes or a cinema trip – our treats could be transformed into toilets like the ones at Simatelele secondary school.
Anything we raise will be doubled by the UK Government. If we donate £1 to CAFOD, it will be worth £2!
We will be keeping track of how much we have raised with this target poster [hold up] which will be on display in [insert location]. / There is an animation in this slide – only visible when viewed in ‘Slide show’ mode.
Reader 1: Another thing you could give up is your time, to do some fundraisers…
[Insert here details of any fundraisers you have organised] / [Insert pictures here]
Reader 1: So, take the challenge! What will YOU give up?
Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten to fast since Ash Wednesday – it’s never too late! Get on board now and help to build a better world this Lent. /
Reader 1: Let’s finish with a prayer:
Lord Jesus, when we serve each other, we also serve you,
present in the least of your sisters and brothers.
Through our prayer, fasting and almsgiving this Lent,
bless those who do not have enough nourishing food.
Inspire us by their hard work and determination
to join with them to overcome poverty and injustice
and build a better world. Amen /
[You may wish to leave this quotation up as students leave] /

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