For most of the past decade, Canada has been ranked at the top of the U.N. Human Development Index, while Sierra Leone has remained dead last. Horrific stories emerging from Sierra Leone's ten year civil war have shocked the world. But in the present context of media fatigue around African...
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For most of the past decade, Canada has been ranked at the top of the U.N. Human Development Index, while Sierra Leone has remained dead last. Horrific stories emerging from Sierra Leone's ten year civil war have shocked the world. But in the present context of media fatigue around African conflict and poverty, and in light of the current "focus on terrorism", the day to day reality of life for the average Sierra Leonean is lost on all but a few Canadians.

WUOMI, the Sierra Leone Global Education Partnership Project sets out to draw Ontario students and citizens into a discussion about finding their place in the world today. It also strives to provide a modest level of development assistance to schools and education in Sierra Leone.
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Goals

The Project has two goals:

Goal #1: to help Ontario students and citizens come to understand their place in a world that is becoming increasingly complex, interconnected, and economically disparate. This understanding will in some cases lead to action, and...
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Goals

The Project has two goals:

Goal #1: to help Ontario students and citizens come to understand their place in a world that is becoming increasingly complex, interconnected, and economically disparate. This understanding will in some cases lead to action, and in so doing, will give reason for hope.

Goal #2: to help schools and communities in Sierra Leone to meet basic educational and living needs.
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Global Education Objectives

-to engage Canadian audiences of artistic performances emotionally and intellectually, and in doing so, foster empathy
-to make school curricular themes more authentic, through first hand and emotionally engaging exposure of students to issues...
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Global Education Objectives

-to engage Canadian audiences of artistic performances emotionally and intellectually, and in doing so, foster empathy
-to make school curricular themes more authentic, through first hand and emotionally engaging exposure of students to issues and ideas
-to help students, teachers and citizens understand the importance of recognizing interconnections between Canada and countries like Sierra Leone, and between economic, political and social factors in a complex issue such as Sierra Leone's civil war
-to provide opportunities for one-to-one dialogue (and hence cross-cultural learning) between Sierra Leonean and Canadian students and teachers
-to give students, teachers and citizens an opportunity to develop a framework for constructive response to issues like Sierra Leone's civil war, and in doing so to maintain hope for the future. This framework may also be used to address local issues of concern

Development Objectives
-to provide Canadian audiences with a better understanding of the driving forces behind Sierra Leone's civil war, and to make them more aware of the current and potential role of Canadian Governmental and Non Governmental Organizations as well as average citizens in assisting Sierra Leone in their renewal efforts
-to create school to school partnerships between Ontario and Sierra Leone
-to provide materials and money for community based educational development projects in Sierra Leone
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