Over 70 children aged 7 to 16 years drawn from Mathare, Nairobi, were treated to a day of fun and games during the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP), 17th October 2021. Each with their talent, found a safe haven in a day-long children’s event organized by our partner, The Cry Of A Young One (TCOAYO).
From face paintings with distinct messages to ‘End Child Poverty’ and ‘Build a Better World For Children’, to dance competitions, comedy and public speaking skills; the children not only showcased their talents, but also meaningfully participated to make the event successful. The climax of this day was two football matches organised for children under 10 years, and the other for under 13. One child participant has this to say at the end of the football matches, “When we come together to play a match, no on loses. We all win because we have come together, had a good time, learnt from each other and maintained peace among ourselves.”
These child-led activities aimed to provide a safe and fun space for children to interact, while also raising awareness on the need to come together to address child poverty. Mr. Michael Kissinger, founder of TCOAYO explained that this approach was adapted by his organisation as useful method in strengthening the spirit of togetherness and promoting peaceful co-existence in the community. “This problem of child poverty can be well addressed if we come together with children through such events, talk to them and allow them talk to us, and express their talents, (through activities) like football”, he emphasized.
The event underscored the need to empower children through education and promoting their talents, in line with the IDEP 2021 theme, Building Forward Together: Ending Persistent Poverty, Respecting all People and our Planet. The children were enlightened about IDEP and its significance towards addressing child poverty, with a view to challenge them to become change agents in their community by taking action to overcome poverty.
“When you are educated and aware, you are empowered towards ending child poverty,” emphasized Ms. Zam Obed, from Child Life Kenya, and a member of the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC).
At Arigatou International – End Child Poverty, we believe in empowering children to meaningfully participate in efforts to address poverty affecting them. This is one of our core rallying calls for the ‘Together We Can End Child Poverty Worldwide’ campaign, in which we commemorate IDEP, like through this event in Mathare, Nairobi led by TCOAYO.
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As part of the activities of the International Day of Eradication of Poverty(IDEP) and the larger ‘Together we can End Child Poverty Campaign’; on 9th October, 2021; over 40 children, youth and adults from different faiths gathered at the physical hub of the The SDGs Academy for Children at the Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru – Kenya for a pre launch tour of the Academy.
The Arigatou International (AI) SDGs Academy for Children is a safe space and programme for children to learn about the SDGs by providing children with simplified and easy to use multifaith learning tools on the SDGs that will enable them contribute towards ending child poverty, and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
With the aim of enabling young people to understand as well as interact with the Global Goals; participants who were divided into four age brackets (of ages 6 to 9, 10 to 13, 14 to 17 and adults) were treated to half-a-day of fun and learning activities. These included; fun games, quiz sessions and an inter-generational dialogue between children, Faith leaders and policy makers. The learning further involved the Learning To Live Together (LTLT) model, pioneered by Arigatou International – Ethics Education.
In addition, children were taken round the 5 hubs of The Academy; Knowledge, Dialogue, Innovations and Solutions, Capacity and Faith and Fun which represent the 5 P’s of the SDGs that is; People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership. Through its children-oriented and virtual learning tools the Academy provided the participants with a space to explore their creativity on how they can actively be involved in achieving sustainable development.
Fred Nyabera, Director Arigatou International – End Child Poverty closed the learning tour by appreciating children’s creativity and enthusiasm about the Academy. He urged the children and accompanying adults to spread the message about The Academy to their peers and share the knowledge they had gained as well.
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The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the need to give specific attention to restoring sources of livelihoods, especially for young people. This realization and reality formed the core of the discussions at a two-day consultation workshop for youth and Faith leaders organized by the Africa Faith Leaders Initiative (AFLI) between 23rd – 24th September 2021 in Limuru Kenya.
Aimed at reinforcing the discussions around practical applications of Istanbul Principles, the consultations provided space for youth to explore development effectiveness principles as well as building back better through Decent Work and Economic Growth as envisaged in Sustainable Development Goal 8.
Addressing the youth, AFLI Co-principal and General Secretary of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, Rev. Nicta Lubaale, emphasized on the need for inclusivity where faith Communities work with other stakeholders in achieving SDG 8, with a focus on how the voices of young people can be acknowledged and included. The role of faith institutions was highly emphasized noting places of worship should be points of equipping young people and meeting their needs.
The place and role of the youth in development work cannot be overlooked as they are the bigger percentage in terms of population. Youth must be challenged to participate in consortiums that encourage them to explore their talents and creativity
“We are here for conversations about where Africa will be in the years to come. When you talk about Africa you must talk about the youth, because they’re many and their voices and inputs cannot be ignored” he emphasized.
On the other hand, Fred Nyabera, the Director of Arigatou International – End Child Poverty, who is also AFLI’s Co-principal, called for the need to have structures that are youth inclusive to enable them meaningfully and actively contribute to achieving the SDGs.
“The ‘older’ actors must be intentional about creating spaces for communication and on the youth must be intentional about claiming that space through innovation that can help in sustainable economic growth” he explained.
The youths called on Faith Communities to provide strategic interventions on how they can be engaged to ensure that they are promoting education and creating employment towards sustainable growth. They called for an inclusive society where young people are meaningfully engaged.
“The lack of soft skills is identified as a gap in the transition of youth from school to the job marketplace and this cannot be gotten directly from the University. We therefore invite faith leaders to fill this gap” Fasika Lachore, one of the participating youth.
However, Benazir Mohamed, one of the participating youth challenged fellow youths that:
“Often times we focus on what worked and not what did not work yet we should derive energy and lessons from these tough moments to propel us to the next level of growth”
The workshop also sought to build capacities that Faith Leaders have with regards to participation, advocacy and monitoring of development partnerships with specific focus on the Africa-European Union (EU) Partnership.
The youth were encouraged to take advantage of the existing wide-ranging people-centered AU-EU partnership, to advance their presence in implementation of the SDGs. Speaking at the workshop, the special advisor to the European Union commissioner for International Partnership, Bitania Lulu advised the youth to be informed and be aware of existing policies and opportunities to aid their engagement in regional and global processes affecting them and concerning the SDGs in general. She urged the youth to make use of the ubiquitous social media and other online platforms to enhance their visibility and their actions towards implementing the SDGs.
“Young people have shown that digital movements can distract the status quo. opportunities does not necessarily knock at your door, you have to go out and grab it and if the door does not work, try the window” she emphasized.
In conclusion, the consultations highlighted the need to promote actions that are development-oriented and policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation.
Arigatou International is a co-convenor of the Africa Interfaith Initiative on the SDGs. Through the initiative, we are able to widen our scope of contribution towards the realization of SDGs, particularly highlighting Goal 1 “No Poverty” with attention to ending child poverty. The platform also offers us avenues of collaboration with faith leaders and faith inspired organizations in Africa.
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Through our annual End Child Poverty photo contest, we aim to tell visual stories of what individuals around the world are doing to address child poverty in their communities in specific ways. Furthermore, the photo contest creates a space for more people to take part in the ‘Together We Can End Child Poverty worldwide’ campaign. These photos often tell great visual stories of what communities worldwide are doing to create a world free from poverty.
In honoring this year’s global theme of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP); Building Forward Together: Ending Persistent Poverty, Respecting all People and our Planet , we aim to show efforts by communities in response to the global challenge of climate change as well as realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on SDG 13. By doing this we would contribute to tackling the intergenerational persistence of extreme poverty and building resilience in the wake of the COVID-19. We believe that in building forward together, no one should be left behind and that people living in poverty, especially children, are actively encouraged and supported to be in the front, engaging in informed and meaningful participation in decision-making processes that directly affect their lives. These decisions and meaningful participation should and must involve urgent actions to combat the climate crisis.
On this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) – 2021, we are thus launching the End Child Poverty global photo campaign where we are inviting you to show us the actions you are taking towards addressing child poverty with a focus on how you are respecting the planet and creating environmental sustainability.
Remember, we are asking you to show us the actions you are taking towards respecting the planet and creating environmental sustainability.
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On 17th October 2021, the world will commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP). This year’s theme is: Building Forward Together – Ending Persistent Poverty, Respecting all People and our Planet. As with each year, at Arigatou International – End Child Poverty, this day is often an opportunity for us to promote awareness, build advocacy and take action to address child poverty. This is anchored on our broader ‘Together We Can End Child Poverty worldwide’ campaign.
This year, the IDEP 2021 theme reminds us to Build Forward Together. The theme highlights efforts by communities to build resilience in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, tackling the intergenerational persistence of extreme poverty, and responding to the global challenge of climate change as well as realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Building forward means that no one is left behind, and also that people living in poverty, especially children, are actively encouraged and supported to be in the front, engaging in informed and meaningful participation in decision-making processes that directly affect their lives. These decisions and meaningful participation should and must involve urgent actions to combat the climate crisis.
Indeed, ending extreme poverty requires us to build forward together, not only to cut down on the number of the ‘new poor’ brought about by the effects of the pandemic, but also to bring to an end the endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities that have resulted in extreme poverty. Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 has raised a myriad of unprecedented challenges in the lives of children. From being away from school, their parents and caregivers affected by loss of livelihoods, and many families facing inadequate access to quality healthcare, children have borne the brunt of this pandemic, pushing many more into deeper poverty.
We at Arigatou International – End Child Poverty, thus invite you to commemorate with us the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, on the 17th of October by:
Promoting awareness about child poverty and how to tackle it, through online messaging, public forums, media campaigns, and other such events.
Leading advocacy and lobbying efforts that call decision makers and policy influencers to task, so that child poverty is addressed as a priority concern at all levels of society.
Taking action within your community to respond to the immediate needs of children, including providing resources for children’s education, nutrition, health, ending violence against children, and safeguarding their overall wellbeing and rights.
I invite each one of you to take action, whether big or small, towards building a society where children’s rights and wellbeing are assured. Every child has the right to survival, protection, participation and development. Children deserve a society that cares and nurtures them for a better future.
Together, our collective actions will make a difference in the lives of all children worldwide.
With best wishes and for all children,
Fred Nyabera,
Director, Arigatou International – End Child Poverty.
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