Teacher Connects Students to Refugees in Ghana
Nicolle Boujaber-Diederichs, a teacher of global studies and world history at Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida, wanted to find a way to engage her students in issues facing refugees.
Nicolle came across the work of RESPECT International through the web platform iEARN (International Education and Resource Network), a non-profit network that enables teachers and youth to use the internet to collaborate on projects that enhance learning and make a difference in the world.
Impressed by the organization's mission and work, Nicolle believed this would be the perfect way to introduce her students to the hopes and struggles of refugees by connecting them directly through a letter exchange.
Nicolle contacted Marc Schaeffer, president of RESPECT, to ask how her students could become involved. Marc provided an introduction to Alfred Kayee, a Liberian living in Ghana, who helped arrange for her students to write letters to youth in the Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana.
The Buduburam camp, located just west of Ghana's capital, Accra, was opened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1990 as a home for more than 35,000 refugees from Liberia who had fled during the Liberian Civil War (1989-1996) and the Second Liberian Civil War (1999-2003).
In preparation for the letter writing, Nicolle's students read about Buduburam, Ghana and Liberia to understand the political, social, and economic situations that caused individuals and families to leave their country and become refugees.
In their letters, her students wrote about their lives, including their family, interests, school life, holiday plans, and asked questions of the refugee youth.
Nicolle was impressed by how excited her students became over this real life refugee project. She found that previously unmotivated students worked hard on the drafts of their letters, and their writing improved.
In classroom discussions, Nicolle noted that the students seemed to increase their empathy towards others as they made comments such as: "We should appreciate what we have, especially being safe and not being forced to move. Not everyone has the privileges we do in America."
Through selling candy, her global studies students raised money to pay for the international reply coupons. Unfortunately, these coupons — $60 USD (about €39.25 EUR) worth — were stolen during the mailing process. Marc Schaeffer sent replacement money to Buduburam to allow youth to send letters back to the students at Cypress Creek High School.
The project has opened the eyes of students in Central Florida, connecting them to a much broader world. Although they have not yet received replies, the students have learned much about refugees and Africa.
Nicolle has also partnered with her daughter's kindergarten class at Hunters Creek Elementary School, where the children have drawn pictures and made holiday cards for the refugee youth.