World statistics icebreaker
Aim
Young people learn about the reality of
injustice in the world using current
statistics.
You will need



20 minutes
This can work in any type of roomuse your space creatively!
16 cards with a statistic or
statement written on each one. You
could print and cut up the ones

below.
A prop to represent each statistic.
Use your imagination and anything
that is to hand. Examples are given
below.

A timer: stopwatch on phone, egg
timer, audio of the Countdown
timer.
4. Divide the group into two and ask
for a volunteer from each team.
5. Tell them they have 30 seconds to
match up a statistic with a
statement and a prop. They should
match up as many ‘threes’ as they
can in the time limit. Encourage the
team to call out with advice.
6. After 30 seconds check if they have
matched the correct statistic,
statement and prop. Give points for
correct matches. Spread out
incorrect matches again.
7. Discuss the correct statistics as you
go - what are the young people’s
responses? How do the statistics
make them feel? Can they relate
these statistics to their life? What
questions do these statistics raise?
8. Invite two more volunteers to play,
proceeding as before until all
statistics are matched up.
Activity
1. The group sits in a circle
2. Lay out the cards and props all
mixed up
3. Check the young people’s
understanding of the statements.
For example, sanitation is about
sewerage/drainage and relates to
the spread of disease.
1
9. Declare the winning team!
10. Make sure you have discussed each
of the statistics and the young
people’s reactions to them.
Taking it further
Ask the group to choose the most
surprising/worrying/difficult to
solve statistic. You could do this by
asking individuals to stand next to
the one they think, then feedback,
or come to a group decision
through discussion.
Challenge the group to make a
human pie chart for each statistic.
If your group represented the
seven billion people in the world,
how many would...for example
have no access to clean water?
(This will require some maths!)
Explore some Catholic social
teaching or scripture for example
the parable of the sheep and goats,
Matthew 25:31-46 (Powerpoint on
cafod.org.uk/Education/YouthLeaders/Prayer). How does our
faith call us to respond to
inequality in the world?
Use this icebreaker as a starter to a
session on Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). Search ‘MDG’ on
cafod.org.uk for more resources.
Look on the website for further
CAFOD activities on specific global
justice issues cafod.org.uk/Education/YouthLeaders.
2
Pray

Use the props and a candle as the
focal point for a prayer at the end
of the session.
Statistics
All statistics are accurate as of May 2015. You can find more statistics on the UN Development
Programme website unstats.org.uk.
Statistic
Statement
6.6 Million1
Children who will die this
year before their 5
birthday
th
Prop
Related MDG
Cake with 5 birthday
MDG 4: Reduce child mortality
candles in it (they
MDG 5: Improve maternal
could be lit, depending
health
on health and safety!)
42 Million2
58 Million3
Amount of people forced
away from their home due
House keys
Dolls house
MDG 1: Eradicate extreme
poverty and hunger
to war or persecution.
Cushion/pillow
Children who will not go to
Exercise book
MDG 2: Achieve universal
school this year
Textbook
primary education
Pen
MDG 3: Promote gender equality
and empowerment of women
(65% of the 1 billion not at
school will be girls)
64 Million4
748
Million5
Amount of people in the
Union Jack
UK
Souvenir from UK
People who have no access
Jug/bottle of water
to safe drinking water
1.25 Billion
1.1 billion6
7
Catholics in the world
MDG 7: Ensure environmental
sustainability
Romero Cross
People who have no
access to electricity
1.2 Billion
8
7.3 Billion
9
People who live on less
MDG 1: Eradicate extreme
than 80p a day
80p
A bag of pennies
People who live on Earth
Globe
MDG 8: Secure a global
Map
partnership for development
poverty and hunger
1
Most of the 6.6 million deaths in children under the age of five were from preventable diseases. (UN
MDG report 2014)
2 Every day in 2013, 32,000 people had to abandon their homes to seek protection due to conflict.
(UN MDG report 2014). Figure from refugeewelcometrust.org
3
Half of the children of primary school age not in school live in conflict affected areas (UN MDG
report 2014.) Up a million since 2013.
4
In 2013. (ons.gov.uk) In 2013 there were 778,803 births and 576,458 deaths in the UK.
5
In 2013. Most of these live in rural areas. (UN MDG Report 2014)
6
Worldwide, about 1.1 billion people have no access to electricity and the development benefits it
brings, and 1 billion more have access only to unreliable electricity networks. Nearly 3 billion people rely
on traditional biomass (such as wood and charcoal) for cooking and heating (www.unfoundation.org)
(http://www.trust.org/item/20150518163817-6o94b/)
7
At the end of 2013 there are an estimated 1.25 billion Roman Catholics in the world, according to Vatican
figures. (National Catholic Reporter 2015)
8
About one in five persons in developing regions lives on less than $1.25 per day (UN MDG report
2014)
9
worldometers.info/world-population has a continuously updating population clock-worth a look with
young people! (May 2015)
3
6.6 Million
Children who will
die this year
th
before their 5
birthday
4
Million
People forced
away from their
home due to war
or persecution
5
Million
Children who
will not go to
school this year
6
64 Million
People who live
in the UK
7
748 Million
People who
have no access
to safe drinking
water
8
1.25 Billion
Catholics in the
world
9
Billion
People who live
on less than
80p a day
10
7.3 Billion
People who live
on Earth
11
1.1 Billion
People who
have no access
to electricity
12