Hunger Lunch

We are lucky enough to eat every day so we had a hunger lunch to help us think about what it might mean to be in a group of people who don’t get enough nutritious food.

Through random selection (choosing coloured blocks) students were put in groups to represent three different income groups of the world’s population.

• High Income – 9 students ate pizza, crisps and chocolates.

• Middle Income – 15 students had chicken fried rice and had water from their own bottles.

• Low Income – 26 students had plain rice and had to travel for their water.

The student reflections were powerful and provoked some excellent discussion.

Below are some comments and behaviours we witnessed during the provocation;

High Income Group – comments

"Best day ever"
"I can't eat this but I'll take it home"

"Ha ha...we have pizza and you don't"

"No you can't have any...its ours, we got the red cards!"

"Do you want some of mine, I've had enough?"

Behaviours

Happy at first...a few hesitant to eat

Some hid food

some offered to share with others

Some showed off

Some defended their food when others tried to take it

Middle Income Group -comments

"I love rice"

"Why don't we have pizza?"

"No fair, they have stuff we don't"

"How come they get a table?"

"I see others taking pizza, am I allowed to take some? Is that stealing?"

Behaviours

Several ate happily

Some did not eat at all

Some sulked

Some begged the other table for food

Some stole from the other table

Low Income Group - Comments

"I've lost my appetite"

"Unfair...they get better food and chairs"

"We have no plates"

"Why do we have to sit on the floor"

"I want to eat it but it's cold"

'I can't share with others they are using their hands"

"Why do I have to walk to get my water, I'm thirsty?"

Behaviours

Several children ate the rice happily

Many complained

Several sulked

After a while many pleaded others for food

Several began to steal from other groups

Reflection

Being reflective and demonstrating empathy are important parts of our programme. After this provocation, students sat quietly and drew and wrote whatever was on their minds. Here are a few of their images.

I felt really frustrated when the red team got the tasty food. - George

 I keep thinking about how unfair it was. - Josiah

 I am still shocked by how the poor can survive. - Taylor

I felt really frustrated when people were snatching food - Alicia