Courtney gives pupils insight into suffering

Courtney Tilby, 19, talks to the Room Six children of Selwyn Ridge Primary School last week after living through Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. Photo: RUTH KEBER

The eyes of Room Six children were glued to the television as Courtney Tilby showed them a video of the devastation which had ripped through her village in Vanuatu.

The 19-year-old visited Selwyn Ridge Primary School last week as part of the class learning about healthy communities and what it meant to be a member of a healthy community -- whether it was local, national or global.

Courtney had been living on an island in Vanuatu when the March 13 cyclone hit. The Selwyn Ridge children have since followed the devastation in the Pacific nation through the media and online resources.

Room Six teach Robyn Keightley says after the cyclone hit, there was interest in the classroom in what had happened and wanting to know more.

"It was a teachable moment, so we have run with it," she says.

"These children are our future, we need to help them to develop empathy, how to understand others and global awareness."

Robyn says it is important for the class, who are also raising money for Vanuatu, to actively see where their efforts are going so invited Courtney to come in and speak to the class.

Courtney says her presentation was a real eye-opener and it was important to see how different children lived in the world.

"The video of [Ni-Vanuatu] children really impacted them, it challenged the thinking of the children, seeing the Ni-Vanuatu children so happy after losing so much," Courtney says.

Room Six pupil Jordan Rolls, 9, says he was surprised to see the children in Vanuatu do not have much, but the little things still cheer them up.

"People there had a terrible experience and their homes are flattened but I don't see one kid not smiling there," he says.

Sofia Phillips, 8, says the most shocking part of Courtney's presentation was that most of the Ni-Vanuatu homes had been flattened in the storm.

"I feel sorry for the children, they don't have any clothes, food or fresh water," she says.

The school is also hosting a gala on Saturday, with students in the class manning a donation stall, telling people about what they have learnt about Vanuatu.

VANUATU FAST FACTS
- Population: 218,000
- Capital: Port-Vila; 34,000
- Area: 12,190 square kilometres (4,707 square miles)
- Language: English, French, more than 100 local languages
- Religion: Protestant, Catholic, indigenous beliefs
- Currency: Vatu
- Life Expectancy: 67
- GDP per Capita: US $2,900
- Literacy Per cent: 53