Bleu Blanc # 5

Kizito and I had a strategy to get the children to read our Bleu/Blanc magazine -- a contest with multiple choice questions, with answers in the text. Students could send the completed coupons to their school administrators, who would forward them on to the magazine. Prizes included pens, pencils, notebooks, calculators, and other school supplies. The grand winners were announced on television, and all prizes were picked up at at a well-known toy store. The store handled all of the logistics of the distribution, in exchange for being the "site" for children to visit.

The title story (featured on the cover) was a love story, but, like all of our comics, it featured important information about the social issues of the day. For "Boyfriend-Girlfriend" a side story discussed the importance of blood banks (there were 300 people per day needing blood in Kinshasa, the capital, and many died due to lack of blood donors) as well as the biology of sickle cell anemia.

Every issue had science lessons. For number five, we had an article on the importance of tropical bats, raising chickens, and malaria.

For the ten questions in the issue, an example of four are:

--Among the following elements, only one can contribute to reducing mosquito populations: a) water, b) geckos, c) plants, d) empty containers, e) clothing. (The answer is "b").

-- Sickle cell anemia is called a double-edged sword because a) it causes blood loss, b) it is a genetic disease, c) the red-blood cells can clog the capillaries, d) it protects the carriers against malaria. (The answer is "d").

--To detect its prey, insectivorous bats a) makes a noise that can wake a sleeping person, b) makes a radar reconnaissance trip, c) uses a sonar system of received sound, d) carefully observes the prey sighted. (The answer is "c").

--The chicken was domesticated: a) 50 years ago, b) less than 5,000 years ago, c) more than 500 years ago, d) around 5,000 years ago, e) none of the above. (The answer is "d").