Our group was given Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1: No Poverty. To draw attention to how the war in Palestine impacts poverty, we decided to make the poem Under the Rumble the main focus of our booth. The photo shows our booth's complete setup and decoration. SDG 1 addresses extreme poverty, lack of access to essential services, and climate change vulnerability to eradicate all forms of poverty by 2030.
The booth used recycled materials and a real-life homeless model to highlight poverty. Captivating images and an infographic were displayed, along with a brief film explaining the poem's connection to SDG 1. Interactive displays promoted learning, while a themed photo booth and a motivating reflection wall encouraged deep conversations. The booth aimed to raise awareness and inspire action towards a world free from poverty. Creative Display Set-Up: We designed our booth using recycled materials, including cardboard, canvas frames, and old plastic bottles. To further highlight the realities of poverty, we also made a real-life model of a homeless individual and his tent.
It has been an interesting and enlightening experience to organise this SDG 1 No Poverty display. It allowed me to interact with students and spread knowledge about local and international poverty-related concerns. I discovered how to make difficult material understandable to various groups by presenting it engagingly and interactively. For example, we chose the poem "Under the Rumble," which tells the story of a poor family in Gaza that is struggling due to the war. In the end, their father died. This poem profoundly illustrates how poverty can lead to the demise of an entire family.
There was a wide range of responses. While some guests were taken away by our presentation on the poetry and the war-related hardship in Gaza, others were previously aware of the problems associated with poverty and eager to debate solutions. Many visitors valued the interactive features, which included real-life tales and quizzes since they helped them comprehend how poverty affects work, health, and education. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were unfamiliar to the majority of visitors, but some had heard of them in their public speaking course. However, the exhibition provided a valuable opportunity to inform the majority of visitors, who had no prior knowledge of the SDGs, about this worldwide initiative.
Literature can be an effective method for teaching kids about SDG 1 since tales foster empathy and awareness. Students might gain a greater understanding of marginalised communities' difficulties by reading novels, short tales, and poems about poverty. Reading literature that emphasises the impact of poverty on children's schooling or family life, for example, can help pupils connect with real-world concerns. Discussions and creative writing activities can help students think critically about poverty solutions and be inspired to take action.
The B.ED TESL program can incorporate SDG-related subjects into language learning by creating lesson plans that include SDG themes. For example, could employ reading comprehension passages about poverty, writing assignments that inspire students to think about social issues and speaking exercises that foster discussions about solutions to global challenges. Additionally, training workshops on SDGs should be included in the curriculum to provide pre-service teachers with ways to effectively teach these themes. Collaboration with NGOs and community involvement programs can also assist future teachers in getting real-world experience with poverty-related issues, making their teaching more effective.