GlobalChild THE MAGAZINE OF PLAN IN AUSTRALIA | SUMMER 2009
LIVELIHOODS Work and Life Skills for Youth in Timor Leste Empowering Families in Cambodia
GLOBAL LEARNING ‘Because I am a Girl’ Convention on the Rights of the Child: 20 years on
INSIDE: • PLAN RESPONDS TO NATURAL DISASTERS • SPONSORSHIP VISITS • FRIENDS OF PLAN 1
FOOD & NUTRITION
PLAN’S VISION
Plan’s vision is of a world in which all children realise their full potential in societies that respect peoples’ rights and dignity. Plan has no religious or political affiliations. As a child-centred community development organisation, children are at the heart of everything Plan does.
THE PLAN STORY
T Girls playing Top: ssoccer in Chalatenango, El Salvador. e Plan arranges and funds regular soccer games in their community to encourage healthy activities for children.
Founded over 70 years ago, Plan is one of the oldest and largest children’s development organisations in the world with no political or religious agendas. We work at the grassroots to empower communities to overcome poverty so that children have the opportunity to reach their full potential. We encourage children to be actively involved in improving their communities. We unite, empower and inspire people around the globe to champion every child’s right to survive, develop to the fullest, be protected from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation and participate fully in family, cultural and social life. Together with our supporters we can transform the world for children.
Second from top: Girls pumping water from well in Malawi.
A WORLD OF TRANSFORMATION Plan International currently operates child-centred community development projects in 49 developing countries around the world. These projects are funded by child sponsorship, regular giving programs, government grants and public donations. Including the Plan office in Australia, there are 18 national offices that support and help coordinate the global effort.
Bottom: A group of women in Burkina Faso carry their water containers to a water pump.
ASIA
Bangladesh Cambodia China India Indonesia Laos Nepal Pakistan Philippines Sri Lanka Thailand Timor Leste Vietnam
Priority Projects funded by Plan in Australia Plan program countries Plan national offices
Above: A Plan-supported female soccer team from Nova Jerusalem in northern Brazil practise their game.
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
Bolivia Brazil Columbia Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Guatemala Haiti Honduras Nicaragua Paraguay Peru
AFRICA
Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Egypt Ethiopia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Kenya Liberia Malawi Mali Mozambique Niger Rwanda Senegal Sierra Leone Southern Sudan Sudan Tanzania Togo Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
CONTENTS PRIORITY PROJECTS
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WORK AND LIFE SKILLS FOR YOUTH IN TIMOR LESTE EMPOWERING FAMILIES IN CAMBODIA
CHILD SPONSORSHIP AT WORK
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BOLIVIA ANNOUNCES ‘FIRST CHAGAS DISEASE-FREE TOWN’ THANKS TO PLAN
PUMPS IMPROVE 9 SOLAR-POWERED LIVES IN TANZANIA 10 SPONSOR VISITS
BE A PART OF IT LEARNING: 12 GLOBAL BECAUSE I AM A GIRL THE CONVENTION 13 CELEBRATING ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD 14 CORPORATE SUPPORT 15 FRIENDS OF PLAN 16 PLAN NEWS Global Child Summer (October) 2009, Vol 28. Global Child is the magazine of Plan International Australia and is published biannually. Plan International Australia Address: 1/533 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3001. Phone: 13 PLAN (13 7526) Fax: 03 9670 1130 Email: info@plan.org.au Web: www.plan.org.au Donations to PLAN of $2 or more are tax deductible. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Plan. © 2009. All material in Global Child is under copyright; however, articles and photographs may be reproduced with permission from Plan. Plan is a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct and is a trusted recipient of funding from AusAID – the Australian Government Agency for International Development. Plan in Australia is governed by a Board of Directors comprising: Anne Skipper AM (Chair), Margaret Winn (Deputy Chair), Suzanne Bell, Tim Beresford, Emily Booker, Philip Endersbee, Russell Gordon, Claire Hatton, Jeremy Ingall, Thomas Kane, Wendy McCarthy AO and Neil Thompson.
Front cover image: Geeta Choudhary, Nepal, working in the cafe she now owns through Plan’s kamalari abolition program. Geeta is one of the young women who has shared her story for the 2009 Because I am a Girl report. For more information about this report please see page 12 of this edition of Global Child. You can find out more about Geeta’s story by visiting becauseiamagirl.com.au and reading pages 120–121 of the 2009 Report. Photographer: Alf Berg
WHY CHILD RIGHTS MATTERS By Ian Wishart CEO, Plan International Australia
OCTOBER 2009 marked an important birthday for the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Twenty years ago the CRC was adopted by the United Nations and ratified by virtually every nation on earth. The CRC is a document that establishes the fundamental human rights of children and is a critical building block in the legal framework that protects children. World leaders decided that children needed a special convention just for them because people under 18 years old often need special care and protection that adults do not. The leaders also wanted to make sure that the world recognised that children have human rights too. Plan has a long association with the CRC as we were one of the key children’s agencies that assisted in the drafting of the Convention and lobbied for its acceptance. Plan’s vision and mission have been highly influenced by the CRC and it is now regarded as the set of guiding principles for Plan’s work with children. Despite the obvious achievements of the CRC as an internationally accepted set of goals for countries to achieve on behalf of their children, there is still much to be done. Significantly, there are still two countries to ratify the convention – Somalia and the USA. Somalia’s case is because there is no effective government in place to undertake the ratification. The USA’s position is more complex. While it has signed the Convention, it has not ratified it. There are still considerable misconceptions in the US in regard to CRC. For example, many view it as a challenge to parental rights and conceive it as part of a broader threat from the United Nations to their constitutional rights. Consequently it may take some public education in the USA before the CRC can be passed through the Senate. It would be easy to dismiss these misconceptions as purely a United States conspiracy phenomenon but unfortunately they are also prevalent in Australia. The shock jocks here love a good rant at the CRC and the United Nations and they do so because they know they will get
a great following as a result. As soon as you mention the phrase ‘Child Rights’ in Australia you will almost immediately be drawn into an argument on lightening rod issues such as the practice of smacking children and the fear of children running amok. There is a need for much greater public understanding of the Convention in this country. It is almost a given that the majority of people who criticise the Convention have never read it. The CRC is in fact filled with incredibly sensible and thoughtful clauses that all Australians would no doubt favour. The preamble makes clear, for example, that the family is the fundamental group and natural environment for the growth and wellbeing of children. The Convention recognises that the child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding. There is so much in the Convention that speaks to the basic aspirations of families everywhere. Putting aside the need for greater public education on the CRC, it must also be recognised that there are situations around the world where children’s rights are gravely abused or neglected. The CRC speaks to these situations. These include the right to an identity, to safety, to the protection of law, to education, and to basic health. The Convention is important in pointing to the responsibilities of states in fulfilling children’s rights and in bringing to account those who deprive children of their rights. In this issue of Global Child we celebrate the 20th birthday of the CRC and pledge ourselves to strive harder for those rights so that a day will come when they are fulfilled everywhere for every child.
Turn to page 13 for more information and to find out where you can read the CRC!
This publication has been printed by an ISO 14001 environmental management system & ISO 9001 quality management system certified printer, which holds Sustainability Victoria Wastewise Gold accreditation and is printed on an ecologically rated printing press using a chemical recirculation system and 100% vegetable based inks. It is printed on ENVI 50/50 Recycled, a PEFC certified paper which contains 50% recycled fibre. It is made from elemental and process chlorine free pulp derived from sustainably managed forests and non-controversial sources. ENVI 50/50 Recycled is certified carbon neutral and Australian Paper is an ISO 14001 EMS accredited mill. This publication is fully recyclable, please dispose of wisely.
GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
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PRIORITY PROJECTS
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GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
PRIORITY PROJECTS
WORK AND LIFE SKILLS
FOR YOUTH IN TIMOR LESTE
Most young people in Timor Leste lack employment, training and recreational opportunities – the very opportunities that provide a future for the young in their country. Left top: Young people participating in a Plan cash-for-work program. This provides youth with the opportunity to earn an income, develop new skills, and help develop the local community.
IN TIMOR LESTE, young people and children make up most of the population of just over one million. A staggering 75 per cent are under 30. The potential for the young to assist in the development of Timor Leste is huge, yet faced with the challenges of limited access to education, skills training and employment, the risks are also great. Plan aims to help develop opportunities for youth in Timor Leste through two practical projects: Youth Participation and Youth Livelihoods.
Left bottom: A young woman is a step closer to fulfilling her ambition to become a plumber by enrolling in one of the many vocational courses Plan offers to help young people earn an income.
A SPORTING CHANCE WITH YOUTH PARTICIPATION
To find out more about Plan’s project work in Timor Leste, visit plan.org.au/ ourwork/asia/ easttimor
The potential contribution of young people is enormous, but with extremely low education rates and high unemployment, this potential can be easily misdirected, as was demonstrated in the 2006 crisis. The Youth Participation Priority Project aims to positively engage young people to become more active in their own development and that of their communities, to ensure that young people’s voices are heard, by working across a number of different activities to meet this goal. Examples of some of these activities include training youth journalists with the support of community radio and setting up a series of mobile music recordings in rural villages with the support of a local music production company. But for 21-year-old Noe Bernardino Ximenes, it has been a sporting project that has proved to be positively life-changing. The Timor Leste volleyball league project has developed from young people organising and running their own volleyball competition in their district. Noe, who became involved in the District
Youth Council of Lautem after the crises in 2006, decided to get involved because, as a young person himself, he felt a responsibility to do something for young people. Three years later, he has led an organising committee of 32 youth volunteers to coordinate a district-wide volleyball competition for young men and women in Timor’s eastern-most district of Lautem, with support from Plan International. Noe says when he started out he felt a huge sense of power, but with that a strong sense of responsibility. ‘I felt like it was a huge responsibility to mobilise youth from five sub-districts, but the village chiefs, youth representatives, youth council and Plan staff helped me along the way, until – in the end – we did it.’ Noe says it is really important for young people to have opportunities, because many young people finish school and have nothing to do. ‘Many young people finish school and become unemployed. They try to find ways to help their younger brothers and sisters to go to school, but who will help them to get opportunities?’ He says his dream, since entering the youth council, has been for young people to have access to opportunities, so they can steer clear of the problems, violence and crimes that young people were involved in during the 2006 crises. Noe’s plan for the future is to support his older sister and younger brother to go to school, to continue developing young people in Lautem, and to one day study public administration at the national university in Dili.
GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
YOUTH LIVELIHOODS IN LAUTEM DISTRICT Plan has been working with local communities in the Lautem district of Timor Leste since 2006 to develop and implement stages of the Youth Livelihoods Priority Project. Over the coming year, the project aims are to build on vocational training undertaken in the last financial year, and work with youth in the Lautem district to improve the livelihoods of young people and their families by providing income generation opportunities for youth groups. The project will operate in 20 aldeias (villages), working with small cooperatives of young people on income generation activities. Cooperative projects include agricultural activities such as raising chickens and planting new and different varieties of crops; tourism initiatives; starting a carpentry cooperative; operating a mini-restaurant; or starting a small workshop to fix agricultural machinery. It is expected any funds required by the cooperative beyond this initial level of support will be sourced through local micro-credit organisations. Each cooperative will have two mentors for the year – one from Plan Timor Leste staff, and the other as selected from within the local community, who will also assist in the ongoing development of the projects. Support our Livelihoods Appeal Together, we can transform communities by helping families earn an income, which they can use to pay for basic healthcare, nutritious food and education for their children. Make a donation to our appeal today by visiting plan.org.au or calling 13 PLAN (13 7526).
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PRORITY PROJECTS
EMPOWERING FAMILIES IN
CAMBODIA
There are many development projects in Cambodia that aim to reduce poverty, but in reality often the very poorest families miss out on services and support due to the entrenched nature of extreme poverty and the isolation and stigma it brings.
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Maria and her son Oscar get ready to milk the family’s dairy goats which were provided as part of a sponsor-funded project.
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GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
Above: Children enjoy early learning activities at a village preschool in Siem Reap province.
Sim Sean’s story
Left: A woman is harvesting palm sugar from trees surrounding her village in Angkor Thom district and then selling the sugar to create an income for her family.
Sim Sean and his family are already benefiting from their involvement in Plan’s project to empower and support some of the poorest families in the north-west of Cambodia’s Siem Reap region. The family has realised that it is not their destiny to be poor, and after Sean received training as a preschool teacher and the family was given support to learn how to grow more and better food, they are starting to thrive.
Opposite page: Families attend a parenting and child rights session at a social centre.
CAMBODIA is one of the poorest nations in Asia with over 95 per cent of the population relying on agriculture as their main source of livelihood. The poorest families are particularly vulnerable as they have limited resources to meet unplanned expenses or loss of income as a result of an illness, a poor harvest or natural disaster. They may also have limited involvement in development activities within their communities due to lack of time, low self confidence and sometimes stigma. In addition, untreated trauma suffered during the long war years contribute to the social isolation, poor self-image and depression of the adults of these families. In 2005, Plan Cambodia conducted a study that sought to identify the social characteristics of the poorest families and how this could inform the design of any work in Cambodia in the future. Using this study, a pilot project commenced in 2007 in three villages in Angkor Thom district, Siem Reap. This project aims to provide specific support to the poorest families – enabling them to grow in confidence, improve their quality of life, progress economically and participate more fully in their community. The study also highlighted that working with the entire community was central to the complex and inter-related challenges faced by the very poor. In light of this, the project was designed to ensure there was no stigmatisation or isolation of the very poor, which may create jealousy in the community. Since the pilot project began in 2007, about 300 families in five villages have taken part in counselling to address the stresses of poverty and social isolation, and in some cases, untreated trauma. These families have also been assisted
to develop livelihood projects, such as making baskets and growing vegetables, using locally available resources. Village social centres have been set up where community activities such as parenting skills sessions are held. A literacy program has also been established and each village now has a preschool with a local teacher. Over the next financial year, Plan in Australia will support Plan Cambodia and local organisation Krousar Yoeung to expand the project to an additional four villages in Siem Reap province and to: • extend the reach of the counselling program, which focuses on personal empowerment, self confidence and motivation, to 450 families • build a network of volunteer counsellors trained and supported by the project • improve community access to health services by linking targeted families to services such as pre- and postnatal care; growth monitoring and immunisation; and hygiene, health and nutrition education • further develop the literacy program and extend it to a total of nine villages • provide direct and indirect support to preschools in these nine villages • support a parenting skills program on child development, health and other issues • support up to 450 families to improve their livelihoods and help them access ongoing support from government and non-government services • promote child rights by training community members and leaders.
To find out more about Plan’s project work in Cambodia, visit plan.org.au/ourwork/asia/cambodia
GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
‘The change in perception and attitude is very important for me and my family since it makes us think about ourselves and act differently to improve our living conditions. As a result our family life is changing for the better. Before, we thought that we are poor because our parents and grandparents were poor too. We needed to do the same things, and live the same ways our ancestors did. Our capacity and destiny were controlled by the power of God. Even though we tried to work hard, everything might not happen according to our wills. ‘However, when we started to think and act differently through counselling works provided by Krousar Yoeung, our family living standard has been improved. For example: we have better foods to eat from rice and vegetable growing, chicken and duck raising, and incomes from teaching at the preschool. We actively participate in the community development activities, and gain better respects from our villagers. ‘I hope that my whole community will also be better off with existence of the project. The children, who gain better health care and education, will be able to change the community for the better. My family believes in Buddhist. Every day we listen to the Buddhist teaching on the radio. This belief encourages me and my family to be generous, and willing to help the others, especially child education. When we die, we want to donate our family property for the ongoing functioning of the community preschool.’
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CHILD SPONSORSHIP AT WORK
BOLIVIA ANNOUNCES ‘FIRST CHAGAS DISEASEFREE TOWN’ THANKS TO PLAN THE MOJOCOYA MUNICIPALITY of Bolivia is now totally free of a potentially fatal disease, thanks to Plan’s seven-year Chagas Control Project. As a poor, rural group of communities, Mojocoya was considered to be a high risk area for the debilitating sickness, but Plan’s holistic approach to eradicating the disease has seen dramatic results. Chagas disease is transmitted by an insect called the Triatomine bug (pictured right), which is only found in Latin America. The bugs are known locally as ‘vinchucas’ or ‘kissing bugs’ because they tend to bite the face. In the early stages of infection, symptoms are mild. As the disease progresses over the course of many years, it can cause serious chronic problems such as heart disease and malformation of the intestines. Chagas is known as ‘the silent killer’ because despite the dangers of the illness, little is known about it in the international community, and it is often considered to be a disease exclusive to poorer populations. It is also known as the silent killer because many people who suffer, or even die from Chagas, do so without knowing why they are sick. But dedicated efforts by Plan and the local communities in Mojocoya
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have produced amazing results in prevention and control of the disease. Through education, home improvement, surveillance and medical treatment, citizens of Mojocoya have learned to manage the insects that once plagued them and have reduced their risk of new infections. As Adrián, a community member, said: ‘Before, we used to kill the kissing bugs; now, with the training we’ve received, we catch them and take them to the laboratory to find out whether or not they actually have Chagas.’ The medication used to treat Chagas is only considered effective in the early stages of the disease, so only children aged 15 years and under are given treatment. Unfortunately there is no effective medication available to treat sufferers in the later stages of Chagas, but all ages benefit from Plan’s disease control project. The Chagas Control project has now been left in the hands of the community leaders, parents, children and trained human resources personnel living within the communities. The task will be shared by healthcare practitioners, education workers and departmental and municipal government staff involved in the area of Chagas control.
Top: Plan worker teaching women and children about the perils of Chagas disease. Above right: A Triatomine bug, transmitter of Chagas disease (T. cruzi infection), resting on person’s arm.
GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
FACTS ABOUT CHAGAS DISEASE • Chagas is found in 18 different countries throughout North and South America • Approximately 20,000 people die from it every year, with almost 100 million people at risk of acquiring the disease • Chagas (pronounced SHA-gus) disease is named after the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, who discovered it in 1909 • It is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted to animals and people by insect vectors that are found only in the Americas (mainly, in rural areas of Latin America where poverty is widespread).
CHILD SPONSORSHIP AT WORK
SOLAR-POWERED PUMPS IMPROVE LIVES IN
TANZANIA PLAN HAS INSTALLED a new solar-powered water system in Ifakara, Tanzania, helping to make long queues for water a thing of the past. The project uses solar panels and automatic pumps to extract water more efficiently from the area’s four boreholes. Before the implementation of the new system, water was drawn from these boreholes in a slow and laborious manner using manually-operated hand pumps. Locals would have to scramble and queue to collect water from a single water point at each borehole. At peak times (morning and evening) there were up to a hundred people – including school children – queuing for water.
RENEWABLE ENERGY As part of a wider community water and sanitation program, Plan’s program unit in Ifakara replaced the old hand pumps with new automatic pumps, powered by solar panels. Using renewable energy from the sun,
water is drawn up from the boreholes into reservoirs, from where it flows to different water points in and around the school compounds. The area’s four boreholes originally catered for four local primary schools, serving the water needs of 68 teachers and 3423 pupils. With the improved system, the four boreholes now serve over 10,000 more people who live around the school community. The water is needed for a wide range of uses, including drinking, washing, irrigating and construction.
SCHOOL HYGIENE Most importantly, the project has had a huge impact on local school hygiene and sanitation, by making it possible to install hand-washing facilities in school latrines. Tatu Rashid, Assistant Head Teacher of Lipangala Primary School, said the project has ‘sanitised the school environment’, and now the proper flushing toilets will help to
minimise diarrhoea cases among pupils. A critical outcome has also been the improved lesson attendance in schools. Previously, children would miss large parts of lessons simply queuing to get water. With the queues now gone, children are able to spend more time in school receiving their education.
GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
Above: School students using the new solar-powered pump at their school. Below: Having pump water at school means that children can spend more time in the classroom.
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CHILD SPONSORSHIP AT WORK
SPONSOR VISITS Over the past few months, several of our child sponsors have embarked on overseas trips to meet their sponsored child and learn more about their child’s communities and Plan’s development work. Here, we meet three dedicated sponsors and hear about their journeys to meet their sponsored child.
Above: The children of Moung village celebrating the arrival of Faye and David.
Above: Faye and David with their sponsored child in her village outside of Siem Reap.
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Sponsor name: Faye and David Retallick Sponsored child: Soriya*, Cambodia IN 2006 MY HUSBAND and I embarked on a tour of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia – a trip that changed our whole outlook on life. We didn’t realise just how poor these people were and how they had suffered under the years of Pol Pot’s regime between 1975 to 1979 and the Vietnam War. The trip left us wanting to help in some way. One day Plan had advocates at our local shopping centre and after talking to them we agreed to sponsor a girl from Cambodia – the most rewarding decision we have ever made. In 2008 we decided to visit our child, Soriya, who lives 50 kilometres (approx 2.5 hours) from Siem Reap. Our arrival at the village of Moung made us feel like a king and queen. It seemed the entire village had come to meet us. Soriya was very shy but with the help of Plan representative Tino, the children settled down and sang some lovely songs for us. We had lots of books and pencils to hand out to them plus lollies and balloons. The one thing that stood out to us was their clothing – they only had what they wore.
GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
After we arrived home I decided I had to do more for them. I went to op shops, friends – anyone who had leftover material that I could make into skirts and shorts. In April and May this year we returned to Siem Reap with a case full of newly-made clothes and 56 teddy bears that I had knitted. The day was overwhelming. The teddies and clothes were so well received – the children were taking their old clothes off and putting ours on! It was just so great and I felt so good. We had nine days in Siem Reap but that wasn’t enough so we have now booked to return again in April 2010 armed with another case of clothes which I have been working on since our return home. This time we are staying 26 days, helping at an orphanage and spending time with friends we have made. What we do is only the tip of the iceberg but we hope to make a difference to their lives and hope to return to Siem Reap many times in the future. To anyone who sponsors a child – if you get the opportunity to visit it is a wonderful experience.
CHILD SPONSORSHIP AT WORK
Sponsor: Lien Sponsored child: Bao*, Vietnam
Above: Deirdre with Hien and his family.
Sponsor name: Deirdre Hinchcliffe Sponsored child: Hien*, Vietnam Thank you so much for helping to organise my recent trip to visit my sponsor child Hien and his family. It was an amazing experience and has generated some wonderful memories. We were welcomed like part of their family, and like royalty from the Chairman of the volunteer committee in that province. It was very humbling for me. Sometimes I don’t think twice about sponsoring, and I should because at the other end, it is gratefully accepted. I have now seen that the money I send is received with gratitude and that it benefits the entire community. One example of this is the recently opened health centre that we saw, proudly built with the help of Plan. I will try and encourage others to sponsor a child with Plan, now having seen first-hand the benefits it can provide.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING me to visit Bao and his family. It was a tremendous experience that we will all remember for a long time. We travelled by hired car from Hanoi to Hoan Su Phi (HSP), where the Plan sub office in H Giang is, and it took around nine hours. It was quite a challenging journey with the road being so windy. My credit lies with the driver as he drove through that junction at night, which demanded a lot of skills and concentration. And yes, the vomit bags came in handy, but we will always look back on those moments with the fondest memories! We stayed overnight at HSP at a guesthouse and my boys absolutely loved sleeping under the mosquito nets. Thuy from Ha Giang Plan was our leader for the trip and she was so wonderfully organised. She stayed up to meet us that night. Thank you Thuy! The next day we drove to Xin Man which was 40 km away, on a windy road up the hill, then all the way up the mountain to where Bao lives. We had a big surprise when we got to the village when the whole committee came out to greet us. We sat around drinking tea and I met the Committee Leader, who personally thanked me for my contributions to Plan. The visit to Bao’s family was wonderful. We rode motorbikes into the village. We met the whole family – Bao, his parents, his siblings, even the new baby who stayed on her Mum’s back most of the time. It was so sweet that his sister got all dressed up in her colourful costume. We were invited to lunch and lots of people dined with us – teachers, volunteer officers, Thuy, the Committee Leader and a few other men. After lunch we had tea and my boys went outside to watch Bao ride his buffalo home.
After lunch we said goodbye to Bao and his family and went to visit the schools. I was shown a preschool and a K-9 school. I certainly felt so humble to see what Plan and these people have built for the children, and the enormous necessities to create an environment that many of us in the western world take for granted. We gave the kids little koalas, lollies and biscuits and I told them a little bit about Australia. We even got them to say ‘Hello Australia’ for the camera! The schools are great but I can see that there are so many things still to do. Later on that night, we had dinner with A Thang, Thuy, and a lovely accountant. It was such a lovely gesture of these people, after such perfect organisation to make the last dinner so welcoming. A Thang told us of his intention to make Xin MAn the education centre of the town and that the next time I come back to Xin MAn, it will be different. It was great to meet these people who hold such strong ideals and actually do something to make these ideals a reality. When we were back in Hanoi, I asked the boys what they liked most about the trip. Hue, my ten-year-old’s answer: Bao; my seven-year-old’s answer: the cool motorbike rides; and my answer: meeting all the people behind the laying of a foundation for the education of Vietnam’s disadvantaged children. I would recommend anyone who sponsors a child to take the time to visit him/her and experience the enormity of it all. Thank you Plan and thank you Thuy, who made it happen for us. Below: Motorbikes are a standard form of transport in rural Vietnam.
Above: The new health centre near Hien’s village.
*Children’s names have been changed for child protection reasons.
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BE PART OF IT
Above: Acting Director General of AusAID Peter Baxter; Plan in Australia Board Chair, Anne Skipper; Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC; Federal Minister for Housing and the Status of Women, the Honorable Tanya Plibersek MP; and CEO of Plan in Australia, Ian Wishart at the launch of the 2009 Because I am a Girl report in Canberra.
Above: Plan in Australia Marketing Director, Aimee Suchard-Lowe; ambassadors, Mia Handshin and Zoe Naylor; Plan in Australia CEO, Ian Wishart; and Plan in Australia Chair, Anne Skipper.
GLOBAL LEARNING:
BECAUSE I AM A GIRL PLAN IN AUSTRALIA celebrated the successful launch of the new Because I am a Girl: The State of the World’s Girls 2009 report and campaign at a special media event at the Sydney GPO on 22 September. The launch was attended by Because I am a Girl ambassador Zoe Naylor, a prominent Australian actress who has starred in television shows such as McLeod’s Daughters. Other ambassadors who could not attend the launch include fashion designer Genevieve Er, celebrity Kate Langbroek and high-profile businesswoman Ann Sherry AO. The launch was also attended by a number of media representatives, Plan in Australia CEO Ian Wishart and Board Chair Anne Skipper. Mia Handshin, who has worked as a senior adviser to Kate Ellis, Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth, and Sport, emceed the event. The day was an amazing success. The launch of the report and accompanying
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campaign has received widespread media coverage, and the Because I am a Girl t-shirts and scarves are in high demand! This year’s report is the third in a series of nine that are being released by Plan International until 2015, the deadline for the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). They are the most comprehensive series of reports ever written about the state of the world’s girls. Many girls around the world are being denied the opportunity to develop to their full potential, and the reports warn that six of the eight MDGs are unlikely to be achieved unless there is a greater international commitment to fight against gender discrimination. This year’s report also argues that investing in girls is one of the best ways to end poverty and create global prosperity – an investment that is currently blocked in many countries around the world by persistent attitudes that girls are not as important as boys.
To find out how you can support the campaign and spread the word go to www.becauseiamagirl.com.au
GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
BE PART OF IT
CELEBRATING THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD Twenty years ago something astonishing happened: the whole world agreed! In 1989 the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was opened for signature. It was the first international human rights treaty to outline specific rights for children and is the most widely accepted human rights instrument in the world. In October it turns 20, so we are celebrating! What is great about the Convention is that it is a set of standards and principles outlining all that a child requires to reach his or her full potential. The Convention also ensures the essential roles that parents and families play are acknowledged and protected internationally. The family, or its equivalent, is seen as the ideal environment for children, so the Convention is careful to strike a balance between outlining children’s rights, while ensuring parents and guardians are empowered to make healthy and enabling decisions for children. This includes the acknowledgement that it is caregivers who have the primary responsibility for the protection and development of children. The Convention also identifies the state as having ultimate responsibility for ensuring all children in a given territory are (among other things): protected from abuse and exploitation; provided with education, healthcare, freedom of religion and culture; are free
from discrimination of any kind and are able to participate in their communities. The Convention even enshrines a child’s right to play – acknowledging this is an essential part of early development. The impact of this Convention is widespread. For Plan it is the basis for all our work and we strive to ensure it guides planning, implementation and monitoring of all our activities. This means we endeavour to raise awareness among children, their families and their communities about children’s rights and the ways to ensure they have access to them in harmony with their parents’ and other community members’ rights. We also work with governments to ensure they are progressively meeting their obligations under the Convention. We try to ensure children have the opportunity to participate in the development of their own communities, and that the activities we are involved in are in the best interests of the children who may be affected. Internationally speaking, the Convention has increased the protection of children by requiring states to be accountable to a United Nations body that accepts five-yearly submissions on the status of child rights in a given country. This state report is compared to a ‘shadow report’ prepared by non-government organisations that can paint an alternative
picture of how children are fairing in that country. Australia submitted its fourth report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child this year (and is available to the public through the Attorney General’s website), and the shadow report is now being prepared. There is still a lot of work to do to ensure children around the world have access to all the rights enshrined in the CRC, but its very existence and the global progress so far is worth celebrating. The Convention can be downloaded from Plan International Australia’s website: http://www.plan.org.au/ourwork/ child_centred_community_development/ childrights/1544
Top: Children playing at a child-friendly space created by Plan at Metinaro IDP camp in Timor-Leste. The Convention enshrines a child’s right to play. Above right: The Convention specifies that children should be protected from abuse. Here, around 15,000 children gather in Kampong Cham in Cambodia to demonstrate against domestic violence.
Key principles of the CRC:
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All rights apply to all children without discrimination of any kind (article 2). The best interests of the child must be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children (article 3). States have an obligation to ensure as much as possible every child’s survival and development (article 6). Children’s views must be taken into account in all matters that affect them (article 12).
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BE A PART OF IT
CORPORATE SUPPORT
THINKING OF GOING ON HOLIDAY OR VISITING YOUR SPONSORED CHILD? Why not book your flight with Plan’s new corporate partner Jetabroad. To help raise money for the education part of Plan’s Empowering Poorest Families project, Jetabroad enables people who book with them to make a donation. With this micro donation system, Plan is looking to raise $18,000 for this project – thanks to Jetabroad customers over $11,000 has already been donated! Here are three more reasons you should consider booking with Jetabroad:
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Jetabroad is the only travel company in Australia that provides online access to fares from more than 450 airlines – providing literally millions of flight options around the world. Jetabroad’s four-step booking process is simple and quick. Wherever possible, Jetabroad provides complete pricing (including all taxes and fees) – so what you see is what you pay.
Visit www.jetabroad.com.au
Above: 18-year-old Vonemany Manivong from Huey Xay, Laos. Your donation to GirlsFund will be distributed to priority projects which include specific activities to help girls and young women like Vonemany access their rights and have every opportunity to thrive and break the cycles of poverty.
KENZO
BUSINESS SUPPORTS
BECAUSE I AM A GIRL Plan’s Corporate Partners Kenzo, Peregrine Adventures and Gecko’s Adventures have been quick to offer their support to the Because I am a Girl campaign to help us build awareness and make an investment in girls. Becky Last, Corporate Social Responsibility & Responsible Tourism Manager at Peregrine and Gecko’s Adventures observes that, ‘We are seeing an increasing number of women taking on the challenges of running our tour operations and becoming guides in over 80 countries. With our staff travelling regularly to developing nations we have seen first-hand the difference education, health care and social support can make in empowering girls and women – to benefit the entire community’. As part of the Because I am a Girl campaign, Plan is calling on Australian business to build awareness amongst their stakeholders, review business practices and make an investment in girls through a corporate donation. The report highlights that as the engagement of business in emerging markets and developing countries continues to grow, investing in girls and young women through core business practices will be increasingly important. Investing in girls and young women is not only the ‘right’ thing to do, it is also a smart move with real and far-reaching benefits. Peregrine and Gecko’s Adventures have donated $10,000 to Plan’s GirlsFund to identify and respond to the barriers that girls face and ensure that they have every opportunity to thrive and break the cycles of poverty.
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We are seeing an increasing number of women taking on the challenges of running our tour operations and becoming guides in over 80 countries.
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Kenzo will donate $10 per bottle of FlowerByKenzo sold online until 31 December to Plan’s GirlsFund. The new FlowerByKenzo Essentielle is a sensual fragrance with luxurious ingredients of uncompromising quality of Rosa Damascena, Jasmine, Musk, Vanilla and Incense. You can support girls by buying FlowerByKenzo at the Kenzo online store www.kenzostore.com.au
FRIENDS OF PLAN TWO MEN TAKE ON THE SAHARA FOR PLAN In April this year, Guy Gibbs and Nikolai Pitchforth completed what is widely known to be the world’s toughest foot race. The Marathon des Sables (Marathon of the Sands) is a six-day, 243km endurance race across the Sahara desert in Morocco. Having completed marathons and ultra-marathons in previous years, the pair were looking for a new challenge. In deciding to set a fundraising target of $10,000 for Plan’s Water, Hygiene and Sanitation project in Kisarawe, Tanzania as part of this challenge, Nikolai said: ‘I wasn’t willing to ask friends for donations unless they knew I’d be working extremely hard for it!’ Guy and Nikolai described the event as among the most memorable experiences of their lives. They said it was mentally and physically demanding, but enjoyed the real sense of community amongst the participants, the amazing scenery and the unique sense of accomplishment felt both from finishing the race and raising $10,000. ‘It’s a thrill to reach our $10,000 fundraising target, but it really comes down to having extremely supportive friends, family and colleagues who contributed very generously. We were keen to support a project that will make a huge long-term difference to the people involved. We believe that community involvement leads to much more effective and sustainable solutions, so we have great faith that the community-led approach endorsed by Plan will result in genuine and lasting change for communities in Kisarawe.’
PLAN RUNNERS RAISE OVER $7000 ON EVERYDAY HERO In 2009, Plan supporters participating in events around the country like City2Surf, Gold Coast Airport Marathon and Bridge to Brisbane have raised over $7000 for Plan’s project Empowering Families in Cambodia. John Quinn was Plan’s highest individual fundraiser from these events this year, raising $1160 on his Everyday Hero page through his participation in Run Melbourne. As a Plan sponsor since 2006, John decided to combine the run with fundraising for Plan. Of his participation in the event, John said: ‘Finishing the race gave me a real sense of personal achievement. Raising money at the same time and doing some good made it a win–win situation.’ Look out for these community fun run events in 2010 – help raise money for Plan’s work and keep fit and healthy!
CANBERRA CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF ART AND CRAFT SHOW Friends of Plan (FOP) Canberra have reached a milestone with their annual Art and Craft Show – this year it is celebrating its 10th year! With its history of supporting the local artistic community in Canberra, the show is a forum for the exchange of ideas around art and craft, an excellent networking opportunity for artists and visitors alike, and a place to buy quality and affordably-priced art and craft. It has also proved to be a wonderful fundraising and awareness-raising event, with hundreds of people in attendance each year and thousands of dollars raised for Plan’s work. This year, PlanEx10 will take place at the Weston Creek Community Centre between 27–29 November. All proceeds raised from FOP Canberra activities this year will support Plan’s project to help improve community and school access to clean water and improved sanitation in villages in Kisarawe District, Tanzania. To help reach their target of raising $5000 for the project, the group also held a fundraising dinner in September, with a hamper and painting raffled on the night. A big thank you to Friends of Plan Canberra for their ongoing support!
Left: Guy and Nikolai at the end of the Marathon des Sables. Above: Friends of Plan Canberra’s 2009 Art & Craft Show. Top right: John after completing Run Melbourne for Plan.
To find out more about fundraising or events visit the ‘Be a Part of It’ section at www.plan.org.au and you too can help raise money and awareness for Plan’s work.
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PLAN NEWS OUR NEW LOOK AND FEEL You may have noticed our logo looking a bit different on the front cover of this summer’s Global Child. With the past few years being a time of increased growth and awareness for Plan in Australia, we thought it was a good time to invigorate the design of our communication. This has included refreshing our colours, updating the way our logo is represented and highlighting the sun from our logo, which is a symbol of the optimism of childhood. We endeavour to create greater clarity and consistency, and to move forward with our design as we are doing with our work. Stay tuned for more developments and we would love to hear any feedback on facebook.com/planaustralia
e Me wM Follow .... Above: The Garcena family have learnt new sustainable organic farming techniques to improve their income and health, thanks to Plan’s Sustainable Livelihoods Priority Project in the Philippines. This is one of four Priority Projects you can support through your real project gift.
SHARE THE TRUE SPIRIT OF GIVING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
PLAN ON SOCIAL NETWORKS 5 good reasons to follow:
Give a real project gift to a community in the name of someone special and help some of the poorest communities in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Timor Leste and the Philippines. When you purchase a project gift, you can create a personalised message on a gift certificate detailing how the gift has made a difference to the chosen community. Email the gift certificate to your friends, family or work colleagues, or print it out and wrap it up to put under the Christmas tree! Real project gifts directly benefit a community. For example, a project gift
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can help some of the poorest families in Zambia produce enough food during the hungry season or train farmers in the Philippines on sustainable farming practices. Embrace the true spirit of the holiday season by purchasing a meaningful gift that goes directly to a real project in Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Philippines and Timor Leste to meet specific needs and outcomes for developing communities. Instead of buying the usual gift, why not watch out for perfect gift ideas at www.plan.org.au
GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
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Meet and interact with Plan staff and other sponsors globally.
2 opportunities. 3 Get the latest news and event information. 4 Experience our work through photos and videos. 5 Help raise awareness of Plan to your networks. Find out about job vacancies and volunteer
facebook.com/planaustralia youtube.com/planaustralia twitter.com/planaustralia
NEWS
CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD
Above: Our fantastic Supporter Service team at our office in Melbourne.
Plan in Australia has been ranked among the top five customer service providers in Australia. The latest quarterly report from Customer Service Benchmarking Australia (CSBA) revealed that the aid and development sector was the best performing industry in terms of overall customer service. Within that sector Plan in Australia was the best performing of those surveyed. Plan’s Marketing Director, Aimee Suchard-Lowe, said that the survey results recognised Plan’s commitment to quality, whether in the developing world or in Australia. ‘Our focus is and always will be on doing all we can to help improve the lives of the children and communities that we work with in some of the poorest countries in the world’, Mrs Suchard-Lowe said. ‘However, we could not do this without our supporters. Every person who supports us financially or otherwise is a crucial partner with Plan in our mission to build a world in which children can reach their full potential. ‘We want to ensure supporters receive great service whenever they contact us and that they get all the information they need about how they are helping to make change in the lives of children in the developing world. This survey shows that we are well on the way to achieving that.’ In its quarterly survey, CSBA professional mystery shoppers made more than 4000 telephone calls to companies in 15 industry groups to check and analyse their service levels.
CHANGES TO COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR SPONSORED CHILD Plan has recently made some changes in how you communicate with your sponsored child. Over the past two years we have been consulting with children and communities during an international review of our child sponsorship program and its impact on children. The feedback we received on child sponsorship was valuable and has guided the changes we are making. In particular, we learnt two important things: firstly, children find the experience of writing to their sponsor much more rewarding when the communication is reciprocated; and secondly, while sending gifts to your sponsored child is a thoughtful gesture, individual gift-giving does not always have a positive impact on the community as a whole. This presented us with an opportunity to improve the experience for sponsored children and promote more meaningful experiences for sponsors. As a result, we’re encouraging sponsors to communicate with their sponsored child through written correspondence, and we’ll be phasing out the sending of gifts by 31 January 2010. Sponsors who choose not to communicate with their child will still receive an annual update on their sponsored child and community, including new photos. Sponsors who write to their sponsored child will continue to receive personal replies from their child. We have introduced some great new ways to help communicate with your sponsored child – you can complete a message online through MyPlan or mail a greeting card or letter if you prefer. To learn more please visit plan.org.au
Above: A boy in Touroua, Cameroon, writing a letter to his sponsor. GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
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NEWS
BREAKTHROUGH
Above: Staff at our office in Melbourne model new Plan t-shirts!
VISIT THE PLAN SHOP TO SUPPORT THE WORLD’S GIRLS Look good and feel great while telling the world that we need to invest more in girls! The Because I am a Girl campaign t-shirt design uses images from the Because I am a Girl logo of women, men, girls and boys holding hands. Gathered together, these images form the shape of a flower, symbolising the hope and growth that can be realised at a community and global level when people work together to invest in girls. Available in either black or white, in flattering cuts for both men and women, these Fairtrade Certified Organic Cotton tees by 3Fish are produced to the highest earth-friendly standards. All t-shirts are $30 (including GST and postage), with $7.92 from each t-shirt going to Plan’s GirlsFund. A great gift idea for yourself, your friends and family, and of course, for the world’s girls. Visit: plan.org.au/beapartofit/shop
2009
Breakthrough is a global initiative calling for women’s groups, faith communities, development agencies and businesses to work together to support local and regional action to reach the Millennium Development Goals 3 and 5, women’s equality and maternal health respectively. Asia Pacific Breakthrough: The Women, Faith and Development Summit to End Global Poverty will take place in Melbourne on 2–3 December 2009, and will bring together more than 20 national and international leaders to speak and participate in a variety of working sessions and panel discussions. At the Breakthrough Summit, a new Alliance will be launched to catalyse an Asia Pacific-wide movement to increase investment in women and girls. Plan in Australia’s own CEO, Ian Wishart, will be contributing to the summit as a panellist, to discuss how Plan has developed its own call to action through our worldwide campaign, Because I am a Girl. In addition to the delegates program, there will be a free public event in Federation Square from 5.30pm on Wednesday 2 December. Registration for the summit is open to any member of the public. The summit will be a fantastic opportunity to network with local NGOs and learn more about what is being done at a local and global level to combat poverty for women. To find out more, visit breakthrough2009.com.au
Above: The Plan Shop online. Right: Women’s white t-shirt – the design symbolises hope and growth.
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GLOBAL CHILD SUMMER 2009
NEWS
Above: A boy laying schoolbooks out to dry at a school in Rizal province, Philippines, one of the worst-hit storm areas. Children are often at their most vulnerable following a disaster.
PLAN RESPONDS TO NATURAL DISASTERS ACROSS THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION Recently, a series of natural disasters affected vulnerable communities across the Asia Pacific Region. Typhoon Ketsana caused widespread devastation and flooding in the Philippines, Vietnam, Lao PDR and Cambodia. Indonesia was struck by two earthquakes resulting in over 1,300 deaths and widespread destruction on the island of Sumatra. In the Pacific, lives were disrupted when Samoa and Tonga were struck by a tsunami generated by an undersea earthquake. Plan responded quickly to the disasters that occurred in Samoa, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines, with Plan staff immediately assessing the situation and responding appropriately with emergency programming that included the immediate distribution of essential life-saving items to affected communities, including food, shelter and water supplies. As a Child Rights agency, Plan also focussed on the protection of the rights of children, to ensure that they were prioritised amidst the sometimes chaotic environments that surround them. As part of our regional response, Plan in Australia deployed staff members to Samoa and Indonesia. Child Protection in Emergencies specialist, Amalia Fawcett, spent two weeks in Samoa as an integral part of a collaborative international response team, leading on Child Protection programming. This included training local organisations and the Samoan government in
psychosocial support for children following a disaster. Plan in Australia’s Disaster Management Program Manager, Rohan Kent, spent several weeks in Indonesia, providing support to Plan Indonesia staff responding to the earthquake in the Padang region of Sumatra. Rohan assisted with donor proposals, field based distributions of essential items and communications for the team. Plan recognises that children are often at their most vulnerable following a disaster. As Rohan explains: ‘Following a disaster, international Child Rights agencies like Plan have a duty of care to these children in order to ensure their rights are protected, even amidst such difficult and often complex situations. Our response teams have been providing vulnerable families with immediate needs, including temporary shelter from the elements and family hygiene supplies. We have also been restoring damaged water sources as well as providing
temporary learning centres so children can continue their education. Across the current disaster zones, Plan is undertaking these and other emergency programs in partnership with communities and our local partners. These programs all assist in ensuring that children who have experienced disasters remain protected and supported, and that they can enjoy their rights with dignity.’ In Indonesia, Plan has launched an initial six-month immediate relief program focusing on emergency shelter, non-food items, health, water and sanitation, child protection, disaster risk reduction and education. This will be followed by an 18-month rehabilitation and reconstruction program.
These programs all assist in ensuring the resilience of children who have experienced disasters.
Plan in Australia is financially responding to the disasters in Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia. To find out how you can help, please visit plan.org.au/our work/appeals.
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Above: Children help tidy a school classroom in Pariaman district. The 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck near Sumatran city of Padang on 30 September 2009 in West Sumatra province, Indonesia.
Plan in Australia has launched the Children in Crisis Fund following the series of disasters throughout South-East Asia in September this year. In emergencies, Plan (in partnership with national governments and other agencies) works with communities to ensure they are supported to protect and care for their children in a tense and difficult time. Plan’s emergency response aims to lessen the impact on the most vulnerable, and to provide long-term, sustainable support with a strong focus on rebuilding and rehabilitation. Donations to the Children in Crisis Fund will help ensure that our work in emergencies not only helps children and families at the time of the disaster, but also well into the future. Plan in Australia is currently financially responding to the disasters in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, and expect we will need to respond in Ethiopia and Kenya in the coming weeks and months as famine conditions worsen for over six million people.
DONATE TODAY by calling 13 PLAN (13 7526) or make a secure donation at plan.org.au Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.