Helping Children in War-Torn Countries

Helping Children in War-Torn Countries is an excerpt from the film A Compassionate Rage (55 mins), produced in 2001.

A Compassionate Rage: Moira Kelly has run an AIDS clinic for children in Romania, been house mother at an Aboriginal mission, worked in India with Mother Teresa, nursed crack babies in the Bronx and set up schools for kids in Bosnia. She brings those in need of surgery from war zones to hospitals in the US, Canada, Ireland and Australia. Now, after three years dedicated to ill, injured and impoverished children in Albania, she’s creating a haven for young people on a farm outside Melbourne. She has been called an angel of mercy and a pain in the neck. One thing’s for certain – she won’t let anything stand in her way.

A Compassionate Rage is a Film Australia National Interest Program in association with Vue Pty Ltd. Developed with the assistance of the Australian Film Commission and Cinemedia’s Film Victoria. Produced with the assistance of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Reading standard: Students read, view, analyse, critique, reflect on and discuss contemporary and classical imaginative texts that explore personal, social, cultural and political issues of significance in their own lives. They will also read, view, analyse and discuss a wide range of informative and persuasive texts and identify the multiple purposes for which texts are created.

Writing standard: Students write persuasive texts dealing with complex ideas and issues and control the linguistic structures and features that support the presentation of different perspectives on complex themes and issues. They select subject matter and begin to use a range of language techniques to try to position readers to accept particular views of people, characters, events, ideas and information.

Speaking and listening standard: Students analyse critically the relationship between texts, contexts, speakers and listeners in a range of situations. When engaged in discussion, they compare ideas, build on others’ ideas, provide and justify other points of view, and reach conclusions that take into account of aspects of an issue.

Moira Kelly has devoted her life to the service of others. When she was eight years old she saw a documentary at school about the late Mother Theresa’s work in the slums of Calcutta. When she arrived home she told her mother that one day she would work with Mother Theresa. Many years later she did work with the nun and that is when she developed her own personal philosophy: 'Wherever there is the greatest evil, the greatest good can be achieved’.
As well as working in India, she has worked for aid agencies in Bosnia and Romania, but now she works on her own, bringing sick and injured children from war-torn countries to Australia for operations that can save lives or provide a better quality of life for severely affected children. Surgeons donate their services and the children recuperate on a farm near Kilmore in Victoria that was donated by Rotary.
Ms Kelly says that she is happy to sacrifice marriage and the chance to have her own children to help those of other people.
In 1999 she established the Children First Foundation of which she is the Executive Director.

1. Discuss in small groups and write answers to the following questions.
   1. Who do you think is the intended audience for the video clip?
   2. What is the purpose of the video clip?
   3. What is the message(s)?
   4. Write a 100-word summary of the video clip and include your answers from Q1 a,b and c.
2. 1. As a class discuss and write your definitions of the terms ‘role-model’ and ‘hero’. Which is Moira Kelly? Give reasons for your answer.
   2. Discuss and list points and examples of how the filmmaker uses the cinematic techniques of music, dialogue and images to convey their message(s).
   3. Write a 500-word analysis of the video clip and include your points and examples from Q2a. Discuss how these points portray Moira Kelly and convey the message(s) of the video clip.
3. Imagine you are interviewing Moira Kelly in order to write a media article on the theme, ‘People who inspire us’.
   1. List ten questions you would ask Moira Kelly.
   2. Research and find answers to these questions.
   3. Write a 600-word article for a newspaper or magazine using your research.
      Include: your feelings on whether she is a ‘hero’ or ‘role-model’ and lots of facts. Start with a quote or description of Moira Kelly in action and finish with a comment about society in general.

Go to Children First Foundation