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Global Me Project Reaches Oulu |
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By Burca Guner
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Tuesday, 01 April 2008 |
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The 'Global Me' Project – which aims to teach school children about global problems such as Human Rights abuses, poverty and HIV in developing countries has now come to Oulu. 
Ismat, Alina and Aba are three young students from Uzbekistan, Romania and Nigeria. They have been in Oulu since January to teach about Global Education for the Finnish-government sponsored initiative.
The "Global Me" Project is organized by the student organisation AIESEC Finland who provide the trainees with pocket money and fund their expenses. Every week, they travel to Kiiminki, Kempele, Simo and Tornio to teach students at upper secondary school. 'Finnish schools have very good facilities' one of them commented, 'but Finnish students don't always use their opportunities efficiently.'
When they first went to teach, one group of pupils wanted to register for Global Education lectures because they thought the teachers looks 'different'. When the students started to teach at first, pupils were not aware of global problems such as issues surrounding poverty. But they certainly seem to have raised the pupils' awareness. Recently Abi, Alima and Ismat asked their pupils, 'if you had one thousand euros what they would like to do?' All answered they will donote this money to be used in Africa for children.
Their project will finish soon but the students are enthusiastic for the venture to continue, "We believe if the Finnish goverment invests money in these kinds of projects then Finnish pupils will benefit very much and Finland will have chance to support other students' learning and intercultural experiences," they said.
The Global Education Project is organised by Finland's Education ministry.
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