1. TED Talk with Ernesto Siroli

2. How much money do half of the world’s population have to live on per day? Consider the recent tragedies in the Mediterranean. Many people believe that the best solution is to help these people in their own countries so they are not forced to migrate. Is there a right and wrong way to help someone?

3. Why did Ernesto decide to become an aid worker when he was 21? What was his job exactly? Volunteers would often send letters to Ernesto and to their boss. How did these letters differ? Why was Ernesto given the nickname Tarmac? According to Ernesto, who was responsible for the mistakes in Africa?

4. What was the project? What did Ernesto think of the landscape? What was the locals attitude to this project? What didn’t the Italian volunteers ask the locals? How were the tomatoes different from the ones grown in Italy? From the context, what does the word blunder mean? Why was he proud of his project in Zambia? What did Ernesto learn from this experience?

6. From the context what do the words donor countries and alms mean? What mustn’t you do? What should you do? What don’t you need? What’s the most important thing? What was his idea?

7. Imagine that you are an aid worker in Africa, or South America, India etc. and write two letters: one to your boss and one to Ernesto. Write a composition that summarizes Ernesto’s TED Talk. Imagine you want to become a foreign aid worker. Write a letter of application to the Peace Corps giving your qualifications, reasons for joining and how you would like to contribute to Peace Corps projects. (http://www.peacecorps.gov/learn/wherepc/africa/)