Via the hunger season website NGO’s, Campaigners, Environmental Groups, Faith Based organisations, community groups are invited to order a copy of the film and host their own ‘Meal & a Movie’ event.
- Via the hunger season website NGO’s, Campaigners, Environmental Groups, Faith Based organisations, community groups will be invited to order an event-in-a-box called ‘Meal & a Movie’ containing 1kg of Mealie Maise food rations, a copy of the film and a Take Action sheet providing discussion topics on the issues raised.
- Multiple copies of the DVD can be included so that organisations can reach out to their constituency, raise awareness around hunger and raise money for their organisation at the same time.
- When the group comes together, we ask them to forgo their evening meal and instead watch the film, and eat cooked maise as a show of solidarity for the billion hungry.
- We would also encourage local campaigners to use the moment to come and talk about initiatives happening in their locale, to encourage audience members to volunteer their time if they are able or make a small donation to hunger projects in their community.
- We will ask the groups to post their questions and resolutions back onto the film website and upload short films about hunger in their own communities.
Via this effort we hope to offer communities a chance to explore and comprehend the massive, national and international problem facing us and the solutions within our grasp. To encourage people to engage and challenge their local and national political leaders on this issue, and to donate their time and raise money for hunger projects at home and abroad.
Director, Beadie Finzi speaks
While making ‘The Hunger Season’ I started going into my kids primary school in London and telling them stories of Justice Methula and the children of Mhkaya. Describing the lives of a group of children much the same age as them but living in unimaginably different circumstances.
It started an amazing dialogue between the two groups of kids, with cards, letters and photos flowing in each direction.
After consultation, the school decided to raise the money to build Justice & the children their very own playground – they called it Operation Justice. And after just a few months of fundraising, I found myself back on the road to Mhkaya along with two parents and a teacher from the school to open the new playground.
The kids at the NCP don’t even have a football to play with let alone a climbing frame. The nearest park must be over an hour away by car and when their playground was unveiled in their dusty field, I have never seen children so excited, so delighted. Over 200 kids poured out of the bush that afternoon to come and play together.
Inspired by the success of the playground, the school has started raising money towards a Primary School fees scheme. The Unicorn has made a five year commitment to a minimum of six children from the Care Point, to support them through their education, so creating a permanent legacy and connection between the groups of children.
We didn’t anticipate that the film could have this effect, that it would inspire people and become a vehicle to raise money, but we are embracing it whole heartedly. We have a number of projects we are hoping to support over the coming year while the film is being screened around the world. They include:
- Supporting child farmer projects where children are taught the life skills which have been lost in a population ravaged by the effects of AIDs and Famine. To support this work, please donate to http://www.action4africa.com
- Linking schools in the US and UK to different Neighbourhood Care Points around Swaziland
- Raising money for school fees schemes, to allow Swazi children to go to Primary school. If you are interested in either of these schemes, please do email us below.
As Operation Justice moves forward, we will post updates here. If you would like any specific information about these projects, then please do send us your details:
