EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL OUTREACH PROGRAMME By Bwalya Bwalya, Intern, UNIC Lusaka The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) is committed to arming young people with knowledge and skills in addressing global problems in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sports are not only fun but also help unite people and are needed to develop healthy body and mind. Additionally, they help in the overall development of learners. Not only will they be physically and mentally strong but also learn morals such as team work, discipline and respect. In view of the aforementioned, UNIC is using sports to teach pupils the SDGs and help them to understand their role in achieving them. On the 30th of January 2020, we visited Calabash School to educate the pupils on climate change and show them practical ways of mitigating its impacts. Learners were excited to learn about sustainable practices they can engage themselves in. After the lesson, learners presented some songs and drama on climate change. We concluded the visit by donating a soccer ball and taught the pupils the importance of sports. We left the pupils with papers on which they were supposed to record number of people they taught importance of soccer. On the 6th of February 2020, we visited North Park School to educate pupils on the SDGs and also to teach them an environmental game so as to open their eyes to global issues being discussed. The outreach programme started with a donation of a football. The motive behind the donation was to help pupils remain fit and achieve good health and wellbeing. Thereafter, a sports game was played where learners took turns to talk about SDGs of their choice and how they can commit themselves to achieving them. It was very interesting to note the brilliant ideas that the pupils brought to the table. Thanks to this activity, we were also able to identify areas that needed more awareness and sensitization. After this activity, learners were given an assignment to go out in their communities to educate at least ten people about the importance of sports. Papers on which they were supposed to record their progress and submit to teacher after completion were given. Later on, we discussed the effects and solutions to climate change. We used local examples so as to reach the hearts of the learners. Practical solutions were given and learners encouraged to practice the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. We ended the programme by teaching the pupils a sustainability game called Go Games which showed them environmental problems being experienced across the globe and some of the solutions to the problems experienced. The learners were so excited to the game and most of them were eager to play it. On the 13th of February 2020, we visited Shantumbu School. Shantumbu is one of the areas with the highest rates of deforestation. Therefore, our educational programme was about climate change. We had an interactive discussion and learners were excited to learn about ways in which they could mitigate climate change. Later on, we played the Go Games (SDG Game) and helped learners understand the SDGs in depth. Just like we did at Calabash School and North Park School, we donated a football and tasked learners to teach their family and friends about the importance of sports and fitness and hand in papers to teacher after completion of task.