The finalists of the 2022 Children’s Solutions Lab were unveiled on Friday, 29 July 2022 in a virtual session with the children and their accompanying adults. The finalist groups were: “Home of the Sun” from Armenia, “Turma do Passaporte para a Vida” from Brazil, “My Rights, My Future” from Ghana, “The Inspired Children’s Club” from Malawi, and “Club d’Anglais du CES RD1” from Niger.
These five finalists were selected among other 88 applicants from 30 countries world over. Applications were open between March 1 and April 15, 2022, inviting groups of at least four children to submit projects led by them that could propose context-sensitive and unique solutions to poverty affecting children in their communities.
The projects were expected to address the ethical challenges and the cultural norms that can lead to poverty and suggest solutions based on education. While the solutions and their implementation are led by children, adults from the groups/organizations were encouraged to be available to support them.
The applications went through a competitive international evaluation process. Here is a glimpse into what they submitted and plan to do to alleviate child poverty through education-oriented solutions:
“Home of the Sun” from Armenia proposed to help harvest fruits and vegetables from their local village. In turn, they would earn from the harvests and further add value to the fruits and vegetables by canning them. According to “Home of the Sun” This solution demonstrates how children can creatively earn and support the consumption of healthy foods; thus addressing poverty by supporting the nutritional needs of families.
The lack of basic sanitation is a fairly common social problem in Brazil, which in turn affects children in situations of social vulnerability. Children are often contaminated by dirty water, leading to a series of diseases such as typhoid and dysentery that compromise the body and cognitive development, potentially putting their future at risk. “Turma do Passaporte para a Vida” came up with an idea centered around the cleaning of the sewage system. They intend to build a pipeline that will then connect to another pipeline in their neighborhood station nearby which then treats the sewage, enabling the consumption of safe water.
“My Rights, My Future” from Ghana identified a cycle of poverty associated with teenage pregnancy as a result of a lack of education in schools and the community on teenage pregnancy. The group seeks to educate their communities against teenage pregnancy by encouraging the education of all children as a means to alleviate poverty. This project seeks to take the education out of the classroom directly to the doorsteps of over 500 children who are otherwise likely to also become victims. Unlike previous interventions in their community, this solution will involve children out of school -who are most affected, to also be part of the solution to ensure maximum impact.
The “Inspired Children’s Club” came up with an idea focused on introducing a mobile school for the street children which will have a cart, learning materials and food. This mobile cart is expected to provide education for street children that are willing to learn and be later integrated into formal learning institutions, after receiving the necessary counseling and education. The Inspired Children’s Club will carry out an income-generating activity such as gardening and tree seedlings cultivation to help the environment by reducing deforestation. This activity will aid in the provision of the necessary materials for the mobile schools.
Troubled by the difficulties that over 1,585 school girls go through due to the lack of a toilet, especially during their monthly periods, “Club d’Anglais du CES RD1” from Niger proposed to construct a toilet for girls in a school in Niamey, Niger.
“Our project intends to raise awareness among the girls through the distribution of documents on menstrual hygiene, to organize training workshops in the manufacture of sanitary napkin kits for girls in the sixth and fifth grades and to build toilets for them” explained Kadri Hima, the accompanying adult in the project.
The project is hoped to improve the health of young girls and fight against infections linked to poor menstrual hygiene. Furthermore, it will enable girls to stay in school as long as boys and will preserve their dignity and significantly improve their education through regular attendance of school.
While congratulating the five groups, Fred Nyabera, Director of Arigatou International-End Child Poverty expressed the organization’s commitment to walk with the children in implementing their ideas and even in further endeavors aimed at alleviating poverty.
“We celebrate you and celebrate with you and commit to walk with you as you move along,” he said.
Similarly, Maria Lucia, Director of Arigatou International-Ethics Education for Children lauded the children as examples of the many voiceless children across the world.
“You are examples of other children in the world whose voice cannot be heard,” she said.
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.
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. Congratulations to the finalists!
The post <strong>Children’s Solutions Lab 2022: Finalists Unveiled</strong> appeared first on End Child Poverty.
The post Children’s Solutions Lab 2022: Finalists Unveiled appeared first on Arigatou International.
The finalists of the 2022 Children’s Solutions Lab were unveiled on Friday, 29 July 2022 in a virtual session with the children and their accompanying adults. The finalist groups were: “Home of the Sun” from Armenia, “Turma do Passaporte para a Vida” from Brazil, “My Rights, My Future” from Ghana, “The Inspired Children’s Club” from Malawi, and “Club d’Anglais du CES RD1” from Niger.
These five finalists were selected among other 88 applicants from 30 countries world over. Applications were open between March 1 and April 15, 2022, inviting groups of at least four children to submit projects led by them that could propose context-sensitive and unique solutions to poverty affecting children in their communities.
The projects were expected to address the ethical challenges and the cultural norms that can lead to poverty and suggest solutions based on education. While the solutions and their implementation are led by children, adults from the groups/organizations were encouraged to be available to support them.
The applications went through a competitive international evaluation process. Here is a glimpse into what they submitted and plan to do to alleviate child poverty through education-oriented solutions:
“Home of the Sun” from Armenia proposed to help harvest fruits and vegetables from their local village. In turn, they would earn from the harvests and further add value to the fruits and vegetables by canning them. According to “Home of the Sun” This solution demonstrates how children can creatively earn and support the consumption of healthy foods; thus addressing poverty by supporting the nutritional needs of families.
The lack of basic sanitation is a fairly common social problem in Brazil, which in turn affects children in situations of social vulnerability. Children are often contaminated by dirty water, leading to a series of diseases such as typhoid and dysentery that compromise the body and cognitive development, potentially putting their future at risk. “Turma do Passaporte para a Vida” came up with an idea centered around the cleaning of the sewage system. They intend to build a pipeline that will then connect to another pipeline in their neighborhood station nearby which then treats the sewage, enabling the consumption of safe water.
“My Rights, My Future” from Ghana identified a cycle of poverty associated with teenage pregnancy as a result of a lack of education in schools and the community on teenage pregnancy. The group seeks to educate their communities against teenage pregnancy by encouraging the education of all children as a means to alleviate poverty. This project seeks to take the education out of the classroom directly to the doorsteps of over 500 children who are otherwise likely to also become victims. Unlike previous interventions in their community, this solution will involve children out of school -who are most affected, to also be part of the solution to ensure maximum impact.
The “Inspired Children’s Club” came up with an idea focused on introducing a mobile school for the street children which will have a cart, learning materials and food. This mobile cart is expected to provide education for street children that are willing to learn and be later integrated into formal learning institutions, after receiving the necessary counseling and education. The Inspired Children’s Club will carry out an income-generating activity such as gardening and tree seedlings cultivation to help the environment by reducing deforestation. This activity will aid in the provision of the necessary materials for the mobile schools.
Troubled by the difficulties that over 1,585 school girls go through due to the lack of a toilet, especially during their monthly periods, “Club d’Anglais du CES RD1” from Niger proposed to construct a toilet for girls in a school in Niamey, Niger.
“Our project intends to raise awareness among the girls through the distribution of documents on menstrual hygiene, to organize training workshops in the manufacture of sanitary napkin kits for girls in the sixth and fifth grades and to build toilets for them” explained Kadri Hima, the accompanying adult in the project.
The project is hoped to improve the health of young girls and fight against infections linked to poor menstrual hygiene. Furthermore, it will enable girls to stay in school as long as boys and will preserve their dignity and significantly improve their education through regular attendance of school.
While congratulating the five groups, Fred Nyabera, Director of Arigatou International-End Child Poverty expressed the organization’s commitment to walk with the children in implementing their ideas and even in further endeavors aimed at alleviating poverty.
“We celebrate you and celebrate with you and commit to walk with you as you move along,” he said.
Similarly, Maria Lucia, Director of Arigatou International-Ethics Education for Children lauded the children as examples of the many voiceless children across the world.
“You are examples of other children in the world whose voice cannot be heard,” she said.
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.
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. Congratulations to the finalists!
The post <strong>Children’s Solutions Lab 2022: Finalists Unveiled</strong> appeared first on End Child Poverty.
The post Children’s Solutions Lab 2022: Finalists Unveiled appeared first on Arigatou International.
On Saturday, 27th August 2022, GNRC Bhutan launched its committee in a hybrid event in Lanjophakha Thimphu, Bhutan to strengthen and reinvigorate the Network. 113 participants attended the event, among them, faith leaders, men, women, and children. The event was live streamed via the Youth Society of Social Services (YSSS) Facebook platform.
GNRC Bhutan highlighted the work of the Youth Society of Social Services (YSSS) and its impact on the community by presenting a short film, highlighting the status of various programs and accomplishments and how they impacted the community.
Dr. Dorcas Kiplagat, GNRC Network and Programs Coordinator, thanked GNRC Bhutan for the invitation to their committee launch. She introduced the four Arigatou International initiatives, GNRC’s global reach, and highlighted some of the work that GNRC does around the world to advocate for the rights and wellbeing of children. She also briefly mentioned the GNRC assessment report and congratulated GNRC Bhutan for following up on the recommendation from the GNRC assessment report to strengthen and reinvigorate the Network.
GNRC Bhutan members celebrated the launch of the committee by unfolding the Khadar (Scarf), which was later conferred to the newly elected president, Thinley Yoedzer, 18 years, and the child ambassadors, Sonam Deki Pelzom, 8 years & Namgay Doeljang Tshoki, 6 years.
The post GNRC Bhutan Committee Launch appeared first on Global Network of Religions for Children.
The post GNRC Bhutan Committee Launch appeared first on Arigatou International.
On Saturday, 27th August 2022, GNRC Bhutan launched its committee in a hybrid event in Lanjophakha Thimphu, Bhutan to strengthen and reinvigorate the Network. 113 participants attended the event, among them, faith leaders, men, women, and children. The event was live streamed via the Youth Society of Social Services (YSSS) Facebook platform.
GNRC Bhutan highlighted the work of the Youth Society of Social Services (YSSS) and its impact on the community by presenting a short film, highlighting the status of various programs and accomplishments and how they impacted the community.
Dr. Dorcas Kiplagat, GNRC Network and Programs Coordinator, thanked GNRC Bhutan for the invitation to their committee launch. She introduced the four Arigatou International initiatives, GNRC’s global reach, and highlighted some of the work that GNRC does around the world to advocate for the rights and wellbeing of children. She also briefly mentioned the GNRC assessment report and congratulated GNRC Bhutan for following up on the recommendation from the GNRC assessment report to strengthen and reinvigorate the Network.
GNRC Bhutan members celebrated the launch of the committee by unfolding the Khadar (Scarf), which was later conferred to the newly elected president, Thinley Yoedzer, 18 years, and the child ambassadors, Sonam Deki Pelzom, 8 years & Namgay Doeljang Tshoki, 6 years.
The post GNRC Bhutan Committee Launch appeared first on Global Network of Religions for Children.
The post GNRC Bhutan Committee Launch appeared first on Arigatou International.
GNRC Tanzania launched its committee on 31st August 2022 in a hybrid event at the United Nations (UN) House, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The event, whose objective was to strengthen and reinvigorate the Network, brought together forty-two participants from the Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist faiths. Seven committee members led by Ms. Joyce Mdachi, GNRC Coordinator Tanzania, religious leaders, children and youth representatives, and a representative of persons with disability attended the event.
The meeting started with a prayer from Rev. Pannasekara, Chief Monk of the African Continent, and Bishop Method Kilaini, a committee member. Ms. Mdachi welcomed the attendees to the launch.
Dr. Kiplagat, GNRC Programs and Network Manager, commended GNRC Tanzania for being a model of the GNRC network. She informed the participants that the launch resulted from the recommendations of the 2020 GNRC assessment report. “We believe that the GNRC country and committee launches will expand our global reach and diversity,” she said.
Ms. Mdachi shared a presentation highlighting GNRC Tanzania’s work and achievements over the years. These achievements included engagement with children and committee members, engagement with the Learning to Live Together (LTLT) (an intercultural and interfaith program for Ethics Education), actions on ending Gender Based Violence (GBV), and advocating for vulnerable children such as those living with albinism. She remains hopeful that the challenges faced by GNRC Tanzania can be addressed through multi-stakeholder collaborations. “I would like to recognize and appreciate the efforts of the late Sr. Jean Pruitt, the Myochikai and Arigatou International family and Secretariat, the Directors of the four initiatives, and Ms. Finike Gofomoka, Zamir Noorali, Ms. Elizabeth Mwase, and Mr. Yusuf Masanja, for making a difference in the lives of children.”
Ms. Maria Lucia Uribe, Director of Ethics Education for Children, thanked Ms. Mdachi and her team for their hard work and commitment to creating a better world for children. “We live in a globalized world with huge potential for collaboration to protect children.” She also commended GNRC Tanzania for using peace clubs to bring together children from different religious backgrounds and further emphasized the need for spiritual growth in children to grow in a safe environment.
The children presented a poem expressing the need to include children in advocacy processes that aim at bettering their lives. Two students gave speeches thanking GNRC Tanzania for all they had learned and promised to teach the same to their fellow students.
Ms. Maria Lucia Uribe pronounced the GNRC Tanzania committee officially launched.
As a symbolic act to mark the committee’s launch, participants wrote their pledges advocating for the rights and well-being of children on a whiteboard.
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