On July 26th, 2022, GNRC India launched its committee in a virtual event that had over sixty adults and one hundred and twenty children participants from different faiths, mainly Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism.
Mr. Vijayaragavan Gopal, Coordinator, GNRC India, shared their vision, introduced their initiatives, and outlined the role of the committee members. “A proud moment for all of us indeed. I am sure that the committee will put in the best of efforts in knowledge to achieve our common vision that every child has a right to a dignified life” he stated.
Arigatou International initiatives Directors, from Prayer and Action for Children, and End Child Poverty, Ms. Rebeca Rios-Kohn and Rev. Fred Nyabera, respectively, joined Dr. Mustafa Y. Ali, Secretary General, GNRC, in congratulating GNRC India on their launch.
The event came to an end after Dr. Mustafa pronounced GNRC India Committee officially launched.
The post <strong>GNRC India Committee Launch</strong> appeared first on Global Network of Religions for Children.
The post GNRC India Committee Launch appeared first on Arigatou International.
On July 26th, 2022, GNRC India launched its committee in a virtual event that had over sixty adults and one hundred and twenty children participants from different faiths, mainly Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism.
Mr. Vijayaragavan Gopal, Coordinator, GNRC India, shared their vision, introduced their initiatives, and outlined the role of the committee members. “A proud moment for all of us indeed. I am sure that the committee will put in the best of efforts in knowledge to achieve our common vision that every child has a right to a dignified life” he stated.
Arigatou International initiatives Directors, from Prayer and Action for Children, and End Child Poverty, Ms. Rebeca Rios-Kohn and Rev. Fred Nyabera, respectively, joined Dr. Mustafa Y. Ali, Secretary General, GNRC, in congratulating GNRC India on their launch.
The event came to an end after Dr. Mustafa pronounced GNRC India Committee officially launched.
The post <strong>GNRC India Committee Launch</strong> appeared first on Global Network of Religions for Children.
The post GNRC India Committee Launch appeared first on Arigatou International.
Children in Kenya and Sri Lanka have been learning about sustainable development through a fun and integrated approach. Through Arigatou International’s SDGs Academy for Children, more than 300 children participated in several learning sessions hosted by the SDGs Academy Pioneer Hub in Limuru, Kenya, and SDGs Academy Model Classroom in Colombo, Sri Lanka, within the past year.
These learning sessions covered the overview of “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, highlighting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a child-friendly manner.
The sessions also encompassed discussion on ethics and positive values leading to sustainable development, guided by the Learning To Live Together model developed by Arigatou International in collaboration with UNSECO and other key actors.
The children, aged 6 to 17 years, further gained a basic understanding of various topics including introductory drone technology and robotics, designing sustainable cities, and climate-smart consumption of food, energy and water. This was accomplished through partnership with organisations such as the Kenya Flying Labs, Ecobana Limited, Excella Biotechnology Limited in Kenya. Partnering organisations in Sri Lanka have been; UNICEF Sri Lanka, The Sustainable Development Councils in Sri Lanka, UNDP, Save the Children Sri Lanka, The Asia Foundation, World Vision, the Department of Sociology, University of Peradeniya.
As a result of this meaningful children’s participation, these young SDGs champions were able to address stakeholders regarding the SDGs. This was most notably during the ‘Ending Poverty through achieving inclusive education for all’ side-event led by the ATD Fourth World Movement in collaboration with Arigatou International and other partners, at the United Nations High Level Political Forum on the SDGs (HLPF), 17th July 2022 as well as the global commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, 17th October 2022, event also organized by the ATD Fourth World Movement. 
“ I will make my contribution towards sustainable development by mobilizing, educating empowering and raising awareness on the SDGs among children and youth; through various community programmes and campaigns” Sanara, Child from Sri Lanka.
Children particularly served a key role in the ECP@10 Campaign, commemorating 10 years of Arigatou International — End Child Poverty. In addition to participating during the launch of the ECP@10 Campaign on 16th June 2022, the young SDGs champions lead the way in planting hundrends of trees across the world countries, as part of the Grow Trees With Children initiative of the ECP@10 Campaign. Through this specific action, children gave voice to the global concerns on climate change and food security.
Arigatou International’s SDGs Academy for Children (SDGs Academy) is a space and programme for children’s participation, learning and action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Agenda 2030 in general.
The SDGs Academy covers learning and action on the 5 P’s of the SDGs – People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnerships. Through this approach, it provides opportunity to bring children’s participation to the fore of sustainable development, while empowering children and their communities towards realization of the SDGs.
Likewise, its online and physical space is organized into 5 hubs being the Knowledge Hub; Capacity Hub; Innovations and Solutions Hub; Dialogue Hub; and the Faith and Fun Hub. On the other hand, the programme comprises of a module-based learning course, storytelling campaign, a multilevel game, as well as advocacy and intergenerational dialogues. It is through these spaces and programme that children learn, reflect and develop with ideas and solutions geared towards the achievement of the SDGs.
Overall, the SDGs Academy for Children presents an innovative opportunity for children to work together with the community around them, towards sustainable development and overcoming child poverty.
In the year ahead, Arigatou International seeks partnerships and the opportunity to expand the reach and positive impact of the SDGs Academy for Children, at grassroots and global levels. We believe that the more children can meaningfully engage in learning and action on sustainable development, the better our collective future will be.
The post <strong>Children leading the way in sustainable development</strong> appeared first on End Child Poverty.
The post Children leading the way in sustainable development appeared first on Arigatou International.
Children in Kenya and Sri Lanka have been learning about sustainable development through a fun and integrated approach. Through Arigatou International’s SDGs Academy for Children, more than 300 children participated in several learning sessions hosted by the SDGs Academy Pioneer Hub in Limuru, Kenya, and SDGs Academy Model Classroom in Colombo, Sri Lanka, within the past year.
These learning sessions covered the overview of “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, highlighting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a child-friendly manner.
The sessions also encompassed discussion on ethics and positive values leading to sustainable development, guided by the Learning To Live Together model developed by Arigatou International in collaboration with UNSECO and other key actors.
The children, aged 6 to 17 years, further gained a basic understanding of various topics including introductory drone technology and robotics, designing sustainable cities, and climate-smart consumption of food, energy and water. This was accomplished through partnership with organisations such as the Kenya Flying Labs, Ecobana Limited, Excella Biotechnology Limited in Kenya. Partnering organisations in Sri Lanka have been; UNICEF Sri Lanka, The Sustainable Development Councils in Sri Lanka, UNDP, Save the Children Sri Lanka, The Asia Foundation, World Vision, the Department of Sociology, University of Peradeniya.
As a result of this meaningful children’s participation, these young SDGs champions were able to address stakeholders regarding the SDGs. This was most notably during the ‘Ending Poverty through achieving inclusive education for all’ side-event led by the ATD Fourth World Movement in collaboration with Arigatou International and other partners, at the United Nations High Level Political Forum on the SDGs (HLPF), 17th July 2022 as well as the global commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, 17th October 2022, event also organized by the ATD Fourth World Movement.
“ I will make my contribution towards sustainable development by mobilizing, educating empowering and raising awareness on the SDGs among children and youth; through various community programmes and campaigns” Sanara, Child from Sri Lanka.
Children particularly served a key role in the ECP@10 Campaign, commemorating 10 years of Arigatou International — End Child Poverty. In addition to participating during the launch of the ECP@10 Campaign on 16th June 2022, the young SDGs champions lead the way in planting hundrends of trees across the world countries, as part of the Grow Trees With Children initiative of the ECP@10 Campaign. Through this specific action, children gave voice to the global concerns on climate change and food security.
Arigatou International’s SDGs Academy for Children (SDGs Academy) is a space and programme for children’s participation, learning and action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Agenda 2030 in general.
The SDGs Academy covers learning and action on the 5 P’s of the SDGs – People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnerships. Through this approach, it provides opportunity to bring children’s participation to the fore of sustainable development, while empowering children and their communities towards realization of the SDGs.
Likewise, its online and physical space is organized into 5 hubs being the Knowledge Hub; Capacity Hub; Innovations and Solutions Hub; Dialogue Hub; and the Faith and Fun Hub. On the other hand, the programme comprises of a module-based learning course, storytelling campaign, a multilevel game, as well as advocacy and intergenerational dialogues. It is through these spaces and programme that children learn, reflect and develop with ideas and solutions geared towards the achievement of the SDGs.
Overall, the SDGs Academy for Children presents an innovative opportunity for children to work together with the community around them, towards sustainable development and overcoming child poverty.
In the year ahead, Arigatou International seeks partnerships and the opportunity to expand the reach and positive impact of the SDGs Academy for Children, at grassroots and global levels. We believe that the more children can meaningfully engage in learning and action on sustainable development, the better our collective future will be.
The post <strong>Children leading the way in sustainable development</strong> appeared first on End Child Poverty.
The post Children leading the way in sustainable development appeared first on Arigatou International.
This year’s International
Day of Education theme is ‘To Invest in People, Prioritize Education’. Indeed, quality and inclusive education has been deemed as one of the fastest and surest ways to pull children and entire communities out of poverty. Access to education directly corresponds with the levels of development, as evidenced by measures such as the Human Development Index, Sustainable Development Goals, and the Multidimensional Poverty Index, all across the globe.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) prioritize education, formal, informal and non-formal education, as a means to end all forms of poverty and as an end goal in itself. With less than 7 years left to realize the Agenda 2030 and its SDGs, we need to consider – are we on track to achieving education for all children?
“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” – Goal 4, Sustainable Development Goals.
At the height of the Covid-19 global pandemic, children suffered an immeasurable blow to their education as schools worldwide were temporarily shut down, and learning switched from physical classrooms to virtual platforms. Not only did the digital divide impede the progress of the children and schools with inadequate access to online learning infrastructure, but the brunt of the pandemic lead to an increased strain on children’s mental health and wellbeing. More than that, the resultant widespread loss of livelihoods meant that more people were thrust into poverty, thereby affecting children’s education.
Coupled with the growing shocks brought on by climate change and violent conflicts, The total adverse impacts to education are still being experienced globally, even as the severity of pandemic wanes 3 years on. These global upheavals and opportunities necessitate innovative solutions investing in children’s education and outcomes leading to overcoming child poverty.
The Children’s Solutions Lab by Arigatou International has been one of such nascent spaces for children to come up with solutions against poverty through education. First launched in 2020, the Children’s Solutions Lab is one of Arigatou International’s meaningful spaces for child participation, whose aim is to support young people in taking action to address poverty affecting children in their communities through solutions based on education. Most noticeable, children from Cuba, India, Malawi and Peru have, through the Children’s Solutions Lab come up with unique and innovative solutions towards promoting education especially for vulnerable children.
“Through the Children’s Solutions Lab, we want to focus on how education can help in ending child poverty. We are looking for innovative, sustainable, relevant and replicable solutions that we can support, aimed at ending child poverty” Maria Lucia Uribe – Director Arigatou International – Ethics Education.
The Children’s Solutions Lab seeks to promote ethical reflections among children about the root causes of poverty and how some cultural norms can impact the wellbeing of children and, ultimately, lead to child poverty.
The post <strong>Education – the fastest way to pull children out of poverty</strong> appeared first on End Child Poverty.
The post Education – the fastest way to pull children out of poverty appeared first on Arigatou International.
