EDUCATING TO THE SPIRIT OF FRATELLI TUTTI THROUGH SERVICE LEARNING: AN AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE
Selvam, Sahaya.
Marist International University College, Nairobi
Kiema, Brenda.
Tangaza University College, Nairobi
Abstract
Fratelli Tutti is the third encyclical of Pope Francis on fraternity and social friendship. In
this encyclical, the Pope invites ‘all brothers and sisters’ to an improved global cooperation,
human fraternity, and universal solidarity. How can this noble philosophy trickle down
to the younger generation? The document proposes education and formation of young
people. The objective of this chapter is to explore the potential of service learning in
building the spirit of Fratelli Tutti among learners in institutions of higher learning. This
aim is realised in five major sections of the chapter.
The first section of the chapter presents an overview of the basic tenets of Fratelli Tutti.
It offers a summary which is a synthesis of the eight chapters of the document. The second
section reflects on those parts of Fratelli Tutti that refer to education and formation of
young people. In order to achieve the goals of education as envisaged by Fratelli Tutti, the
third section of the chapter proposes service learning as an effective methodology.
Writing from Africa, in the following section, we contextualise the concept of solidarity
within the framework of the African social philosophy of Ubuntu – I am because we are!
The fifth section of the chapter narrates a concrete experience of service learning in the
African context that demonstrates the possibility of achieving the spirit of ‘gratuitousness’
among the learners. We conclude by linking our reflection to the vision of education in the
21st century as proposed by UNESCO in its pillar: ‘Learning to live together’
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