Global Child THE MAGAZINE OF PLAN IN AUSTRALIA | SUMMER 2014
Meet Hennock And discover the power of play
Typhoon Haiyan
The journey to recover and rebuild
Child Rights Champions We select five of our favourites
The Plan story Founded more than 75 years ago, Plan is one of the oldest and largest children's development organisations in the world with no political affiliations or religious agenda. 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.
Transform the world for children. Front cover: Five-year-old Hennock is benefitting from a child development project in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that helps him access his right to play. Read Hennock’s story on Page 10.
Inside cover: Eva, 10, from Timor-Leste, now has more time to study and play after Plan supported the installation of a new water pump close to her home providing clean fresh water.
By Ian Wishart Chief Executive, Plan International Australia
You’re part of a movement of child rights champions In December, the world stopped to mourn the passing of Nelson Mandela, one of the greatest human rights advocates of our time. Here at Plan, Mandela’s passing was also a time for reflection on his specific advocacy and achievements around children’s rights. Indeed it was Mandela who famously said: “our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation,” and on page 18 we profile Nelson Mandela and four other child rights champions
who have and do fight for a cause that is central to our work. Child rights are human rights and yet, around one billion children (nearly every second child on earth) live in poverty. Poverty is both a cause and a consequence of people not being able to access their rights. For example, children who don’t have access to their right to education are more likely to be poor when they grow up, and children who are born into poverty are less likely to access their right to a quality education. As a Plan supporter you are well aware of these issues and thanks to your support, our projects are championing child rights and tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice. From our child sponsorship programs (page 8 and page
20) to our disaster relief (page 14) and our community engagement in Australia (page 16) – child rights are at the heart of what your support makes possible. Protecting children’s rights and placing these rights at the centre of global development makes sense, and our feature story on page 10, My Favourite Things, is an undeniable example of this. I hope you enjoy this edition of Global Child – the following stories are only possible thanks to the people like you. Thank you for your tremendous support.
Contents Community News
Global Learning
4 Events and Updates
18 Child Rights Champions: meet five of our favourites.
Plan in Action 8 N ogaye’s Journey: see the impact that sponsorship has. 10 My Favourite Things: discover the power of play. 12 Typhoon Haiyan: the journey to recover and rebuild.
Supporters in Focus 20 22
Seven Years On: a sponsor’s second visit to her sponsored child. Five Minutes With: one of our youngest fundraisers.
Global Child Winter 2014, Vol.36. Global Child is the magazine of Plan International Australia and is published biannually. Editorial enquiries: editor@plan.org.au Plan International Australia Address: 18/60 City Road, Southbank, Melbourne VIC 3006. Phone: 13 75 26 Fax: 03 9670 1130 Email: info@plan.org.au Web: www.plan.org.au To support Plan visit www.plan.org.au. Donations to Plan of $2 or more are tax deductible. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Plan. © 2013. 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.
The Voice of Youth 16 Vox Pop: we chat to our Youth Project Team about child rights.
SUMMER 2014
THE MAGAZINE OF PLAN IN AUSTRALIA GLOBAL CHILD 3
“Children are always badly affected by disasters like this; some will lose their lives, or lose parents, siblings and extended families.
Community
News
Everything that is familiar and safe is disrupted or destroyed, including homes, schools and family livelihoods. These children will also have seen things that no child should have to see.”
Carin van der Hor, Plan’s Country Director in the Philippines speaks of the impact on children in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.
Looking for the perfect gift? Whether you’re saying thank you, happy birthday, I love you or just because … why not surprise your loved one with a gift of hope from our online store! Gifts of Hope are items needed by the poor communities we work with around the world and give children and their families a real and lasting way out of poverty. Gifts start from just $10 for two chickens, so jump online today at plan.org.au/shop.
AROUND THE WORLD A quick round-up of stories that have caught our attention since the last edition of Global Child. On 12 July Malala Yousafzai celebrated her 16th birthday by leading the first ever youth takeover of the United Nations in New York. Typhoon Haiyan, the worst storm in recent history, caused devastation across the Philippines. Around 6,000 people were killed and nearly 2 million people lost their homes. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons "for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons".
Tony Abbott was elected as Australia’s 28th Prime Minister. In October, New South Wales declared a state of emergency after Australian bushfires destroyed 200 homes in the region. On 5 December, Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, died aged 95. An estimated 1,429 people, including many children, were killed in chemical attacks (apparently involving sarin gas) in the suburbs of Damascus, in Syria.
The strongest storm in 14 years, Cyclone Phailin, left a trail of destruction along India’s east coast. On 21 September, unidentified gunmen attacked the upmarket Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, killing 72 people. Across South Sudan, some 500,000 children and adults have so far been displaced by clashes between government and rebel troops. October 11 was the second International Day of the Girl. To mark the occasion iconic landmarks around the world were lit up pink.
HOT OFF THE PRESS Annual Report On the back of our 2012 Annual Report that won the PWC Transparency Awards, we have published our 2013 report. It is now available with updates of our performance in 2012–2013. You can view the report at plan.org.au or send an email to info@plan.org.au if you would like a printed copy.
Due to overwhelming demand for our February fundraising adventure, Cycle for Girls, we are running another cycle in October. What’s involved? Over eight days you will cycle 400km through Vietnam and Cambodia to raise vital funds that contribute to changing lives. Cycle participants will also celebrate International Day of the Girl in Cambodia with girls and women that Plan works with. Cycle for Girls will take place from 3–14 October. If you’re ready for this once in a lifetime experience visit plan.org.au/Get-Involved
Plan International Australia
ANNUAL REPORT 2013
PLAN INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA
» ANNUAL REPORT 2013 1
Plan adventurers celebrate after completing Cycle for Girls in 2013.
3,000,000 – THANK YOU!
Almost 3 million of you were involved in our ‘Because I am a Girl’ activities on International Day of the Girl last October. Around the world, politicians, media and the general public all took notice of our global fight for gender equality.
And you know what? We couldn’t have done it without you – our amazing Plan supporters! From reading news stories and joining conversations on social media to attending events on International Day of the Girl, you helped us raise our voice even louder than ever before. Thank you!
Plan supporters take part in erasing an image of girls in a factory at Flinders Street station in Melbourne on International Day of the Girl 2013.
Community
News
SAY
WHAT?
We love hearing from Plan supporters on our social media channels — here are a few stories that recently caught our attention.
Kelly Wickham > My mum and I are both long time supporters of Plan and
today as we were driving on the outskirts of Siem Reap discovering some local initiatives we passed a Plan school!! We were very proud to see it and just wanted to say a big thank you for all the work you do!!
Vicki Jeffrey > My boys eagerly searched your website for the gift they
wanted to give to their teachers. It was heartwarming to listen to the amount of thought and discussion that went into their selection process. Thank you for the opportunity to be able to show my children the true meaning of giving. Keep up the great work!
DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR
Susanne Wong > Did you see Malala addressing the UN Youth Forum? What
a wonderful speaker saying wonderful things to an audience that gave her a standing ovation! Stay connected with conversations that matter to you. @PlanAustralia
facebook.com/ PlanAustralia
YouTube.com/ PlanAustralia
21 February International Mother Tongue Day 8 March International Women’s Day 20 March International Day of Happiness 22 March World Water Day
It’s on again this year and as always Plan is a proud supporter of the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival (HRAFF).
human rights organisations and the Australian public to unite in their desire to contribute to social change.
For a fortnight in Melbourne, and three weeks across the country, HRAFF provides a platform for artists,
Stay tuned to facebook.com/ planaustralia for film information and ticket giveaways.
4—13 April National Youth Week 21 May World Day for Cultural Diversity and Dialogue 12 June World Day against Child Labour 20 June World Refugee Day 20 Nov International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
What’s
your story? We sit down with Charlotte Strong, Plan’s Senior Communications Advisor, to hear about telling stories with heart, soul and dignity.
In this edition of Global Child we wanted to give a special shout out to our friends at Westpac. As of last year, their fundraising efforts for our Water, Sanitation and Hygiene project in Timor-Leste exceeded $50,000 and we are thrilled to have their continued support going into 2014. Established in 2008, the Westpac ABR (Australian Banking Risk) Plan Committee is a corporate community partnership involving staff members across all management levels and teams in ABR. The team plan and execute innovative fundraising initiatives within Westpac.
Challenge SIX Plan ADVENTURERS 5,895M
HEIGHT CLIMBED
“Not only do the initiatives we run provide excellent team building opportunities, it enables us to improve the lives of children in Timor-Leste and the wider community, utilising our skills to benefit those in need,” says committee member Simona Das. Corporate partnerships are vital to many of Plan’s projects. If you would like more information on how your work place can be involved, visit plan.org.au or call us on 13 75 26.
CONGRATULATIONS! Congratulations to our amazing Plan Adventurers who recently completed the daunting challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania – which stands at an incredible 5,895 metres high. Areta Ellis, David McManus, Juliette Catherall, Kevin Duffy, Natasha Godfrey and Xanthi Warwarek set off on 16 October with our partner Inspired Adventures. Together they raised more than $35,000 in support of Plan’s School Feeding Program in South Sudan and Cambodia.
Children in Timor-Leste use a Plan-supported water pump that has been built in their village.
Thank you to the amazing group and to everyone who supported them!
What’s it like being a communicator for an organisation like Plan?
Can you tell us a bit about the stories behind Supporter of Change?
What are you most excited about communicating through these stories?
It’s a dream job! I feel incredibly lucky that I get to do what I love for a cause that I’m passionate about, and in a fantastic team of talented and dedicated people. Because Plan’s operations span everything from education to advocacy to emergency response, my job as a communicator has lots of variety.
With Supporter of Change, we wanted to tell stories about children accessing their rights and give people a broader impression of life in the developing world.
I learnt a lot through making these stories, particularly that human beings all around the world – rich or poor – have more in common with each other than we realise. A good example of this is Hennock – the young boy in Ethiopia who starred in our film about the right to play. He’s an adorable kid – funny, curious, chatty and full of hopes and dreams about his future – just like any five-year-old boy in Australia.
You have spent the last year travelling overseas to collect stories for Supporter of Change. What was that like? In short, it’s been one of the most interesting years of my life. I’ve travelled to places I wouldn’t have gone to on my own, and I’ve met people who’ve inspired me with their strength, resilience, curiosity and commitment. Each trip was a great adventure, full of early starts, long days and the inevitable challenges that come with filming in remote places!
In western society we’ve become very used to seeing the same sorts of negative images of poverty in the media. These images show one aspect of extreme poverty – one that’s certainly very real and important to understand, but it often comes at the expense of showing some of the other aspects of life in the developing world. The Supporter of Change stories aim to portray stories in a more three-dimensional way, documenting some of the untold parts of children's lives – their joys, hopes, concerns and achievements – not just the poverty.
I hope that by showing these types of stories we can help create a more human connection between the people in the stories and the people in our audience. You can read Charlotte’s feature story based on her time in Ethiopia on page 10.
PLAN in ACTION
WESTERN SAHARA (OCCUPIED BY MOROCCO)
The First
PLAN SPONSORED CHILD IN
ThiÉs, Senegal Senegal Saint-Louis
ThiéMAURITANIA s
Louga
Dakar
Ranérou
Thiés
Urban Dakar
Kaolack
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GUINEABISSAU
Ga
Bignona
MALI
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GAMBIA
Sen
Goudiry
SENEGAL Country Office Program Unit
Niger
N
ogaye’s father passed away when she was young and her mother Amie was left to raise her and her brothers as a single parent. Although Amie could not read or write, she decided to take care of her daughter’s educational needs and enrol her at school – she hoped her daughter would become a teacher.
FAST FACTS »
At that time there was no school in their village but Amie enrolled Nogaye into school anyway – which was four kilometres away. Despite the daily travel and her young age, Nogaye was very proud to be attending school and was always eager to get to class and learn.
The official language is French though Wolof, Pulaar, Jola and Mandinka are popularly spoken in Senegal.
Then in 1986, Plan Senegal opened a program unit in Thiés and Nogaye became the first registered sponsored child. At that time she received school supplies and assistance to help her with her studies; her mother also benefited from Plan’s work when she joined a Women’s Association which was developed and supported by Plan. At that time, Nogaye’s village didn’t have electricity, running water or sanitary facilities. Her family lived in two rectangular rooms with a corrugated metal roof and two traditional thatched huts with no toilet. After school Nogaye was expected to help with the domestic chores so it was very difficult for her to find the time to do any homework. Incredibly, despite her difficult home conditions, Nogaye kept up with her studies and always achieved good marks at school. After graduating, Nogaye went to college. After two years at the University of Dakar, she decided to return to Thiés to complete a management course where she obtained a degree in financial banking and insurance. Nogaye was then awarded an internship at a savings and credit bank established by Plan to develop female entrepreneurship. After six months she was recruited to be an agent at the bank and today she is a Senior Credit Agent and undertaking a Masters degree in management.
The vibrant capital of Senegal is Dakar.
The dominant religion is Islam with nearly 94% Muslims while Christians make up 5% of the population. Senegal gained independence from France in 1960. The government is a multi-party democratic republic. Wrestling is the traditional and national sport of Senegal.
Nogaye working in her office at the Savings and Credit Bank.
Niger
Thanks to support when she was younger, Nogaye has had the opportunity to reach her full potential. But more than that, because of the support that her community received, the opportunities that were rare for her are becoming more common for the next generation. “The best investment today is investing in girl’s education. Only quality education can support girls to gain the strength, knowledge and expertise needed to succeed in life. Every girl should have the opportunity to reach her potential.
In addition to this, she is now a passionate advocate for girls rights in her community.
“I encourage Plan to continue supporting girls and to give them the chance to go and stay at school in order to receive the benefit and skills for life. Today we have better opportunities than our parents had and our children may have a better future,” she says.
Nig
er
i Ban GET INVOLVED
NIGER
Child sponsorship gives children like Nogaye the opportunity to realise their full potential. To find out more about sponsoring a child, visit plan.org.au, or give us a call on 13 75 26.
BURKINA FASO
SUMMER 2014
ite V olta
er g i N
“My village has developed in so many areas since Plan sponsorship began in this area. For example Plan supported the construction of a new school and now the school is a few metres from our house. When we were children most of us were not able to go to school. And not many parents would allow their children to walk four kilometres a day to study,” says Nogaye.
Oti THE MAGAZINE OF PLAN IN AUSTRALIA GLOBAL CHILD 9
BENIN
PLAN in ACTION
ck o n n He
Hennock, 5, plays a game of soccer with his friends at his pre-school in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Favourite
THINGS A story by Charlotte Strong Last year on a trip to Ethiopia Charlotte Strong met Hennock – a five-year-old preschooler benefiting from a Plan-supported Early Development project. Charlotte asked the determined youngster: “what is your favourite thing to do?” and as he began to answer, the true power of this child accessing his rights unfolded before her very eyes. GLOBAL CHILD 11
PLAN in ACTION
T
he children begin their day with proud straight backs and grinning faces, standing sentinel at the school assembly. A few cheeky young ones stray from their lines, distracting each other with friendly shoves and hugs. The assembly begins and 300 high-pitched voices belt out joyful renditions of familiar songs. ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes,’ complete with actions, seems to be a crowd favourite. But of all these songs the national anthem is sung the loudest, with the children gazing intently at the Ethiopian flag as it edges up the flagpole. Five-year-old Hennock jostles playfully with his friends. The assembly songs have been fun, but the boys are keen to get back to their soccer game. It’s Monday morning in Addis Ababa and they’ve got a whole week of fun, games and learning ahead of them. Like every other child in the world, it's Hennock’s right to learn and develop through play and recreation. But unlike every other child – especially those in Ethiopia – Hennock is actually able to access this right. Despite being poor, he attends a quality early learning centre with properly trained teachers, quality learning materials and plenty of other kids to interact with. In Ethiopia this is a rare situation. Until recently early childhood development was one the most neglected areas, with the national early childhood education enrolment rate sitting at only 4.2% when it was officially measured in 2008. In the last few years, privately owned early learning centres have sprung up around the country, particularly in the capital Addis Ababa – but only the wealthier families can afford to send their children there. Countless other children have missed out, making them more likely to be stuck in poverty for the rest of their lives. On the surface, ‘The Right to Play’ may not seem as fundamental as those rights that preserve a child’s very survival – but of all the human rights specially enshrined for children, it is the one that most crucially determines a child’s future path in life. The Right to Play is about giving children opportunities to develop
Hennock, inside his home with his mother Alom and his one-year-sister Yematawork.
The Right to Play is about giving children opportunities to develop their cognitive and social skills, at the exact time of their life where these skills must be developed or could be lost forever. their cognitive and social skills, at the exact time of their life where these skills must be developed or could be lost forever. Through the play and learning activities that are offered at quality early learning centres, children develop essential skills for their future education, and for life. In the classroom and in the playground they learn how to share, negotiate with others, express themselves and make simple decisions. They improve their motor skills, language skills and self esteem. They begin to become the people they will later grow into in adulthood. Hennock already has a clear idea of what he wants to be when he grows up. “A pilot in a helicopter. I want to go anywhere I like, I want to take my friends to the countryside!” His father, Sisay, has slightly more traditional dreams for his only son. “I want for him to be a doctor or a teacher – to support himself and to support us – even though he says he wants to be a pilot!” You might wonder if Sisay is being overly optimistic. But even though the family lives in poverty, without enough to eat or enough clothes in a single room house in one of the poorest countries in the world, Hennock could very well achieve his dreams (or those of his father) if he continues to get opportunities to learn and develop. Sisay, who never had the opportunity for education himself, has noticed great changes in Hennock since he started at the early learning centre. “There is a big change in Hennock and in me also – I’m happy to see my child in school, and Hennock is improving in a lot of ways. He can identify letters now, and numbers as well. He asks so many questions – he even challenges us on certain things!”
Hennock’s teacher, Lensa Kebede, agrees that Hennock’s confidence has soared since he started coming to the centre. “Through time he’s improving. Even if he doesn’t have knowledge about a topic, he’s active by raising his hand. He tries his best even if he doesn’t have a right answer.” Hennock’s cognitive and social development, including his newfound confidence, is a direct result of getting to play in a positive, stimulating environment. Plan’s Early Development Coordinator in Ethiopia, Demeke Fekadu, explains why play is so important: “Children should learn through play because they are naturally given for that activity. Children play with everything, they are making fun with everything, so we have to follow that natural way. Learning through play is essential for children.” Most children would enthusiastically agree that play is pretty important! But not many people understand why ‘play and recreation’ is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Compared to survival rights like food and clean water, play might seem somewhat trivial.
Through this project, Plan is working to prepare children for school and for later life by supporting culturally relevant, age-appropriate early childhood activities, and by working with the government and local communities to ensure these activities are sustainable in the future. This involves: »» supporting community groups to set up their own early learning centres and keep them running in the long term »» setting up parenting groups in local communities, where parents learn about their children’s early stimulation and learning, nutritional and health needs, and the best ways to support their growth and development »» training teachers and parents to develop stimulating toys and learning tools from local, sustainable materials »» working with the government to develop policies and initiatives that promote the importance of early learning and development for children.
Yet we must remember that child rights are more than about just basic survival – they also exist to give children quality of life. When children don’t get enough time for play because they’re needed to fetch water, perform labour, or spend the majority of their time caring for younger siblings, or when children don’t have access to safe and stimulating learning environments, they’re missing out on a quality of life that is the foundation for their future. In Ethiopia, in Hennock’s community and beyond, Plan is working to change things at the government level as well as in local communities to help ensure early learning and development opportunities are available to all children – rich and poor, urban and rural. As a result, thousands of Ethiopian children are getting a better start in life. Their generation and the one that comes after will have the opportunity to not just survive, but also thrive.
Every child has the right to a life free from poverty
Get involved To support this crucial program and help children fulfil their Right to Play, go to supporterofchange.org.au and become a Supporter of Change today.
Every child
has the right to a life free from poverty
Hennock and his classmates proudly sing the Ethiopian national anthem at the beginning of their school day.
SUMMER 2014
THE MAGAZINE OF PLAN IN AUSTRALIA GLOBAL CHILD 13
PLAN in ACTION
Nicola, 8, stands amid the ruins of her home in East Samar, Philippines.
Typhoon
Haiyan The journey to recover and rebuild
O
n the 8 November 2013 Typhoon Haiyan – the worst storm in recent history – tore through the Philippines, causing storm surges and flash floods and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The impact on people and livelihoods was extreme. Almost 6,000 people were killed (that’s more than the combined death toll from 2005 Hurricane Katrina, 2011 Cyclone Yasi, and 2012 Hurricane Sandy) and an estimated 26,000 people were injured.
Tragically, many villages and communities were completely flattened. Plan has worked in the Philippines for more than 50 years. We have responded to multiple emergencies, and understand the needs of children, their families and communities before, during and after a disaster. Building on lessons learned in the past, our staff in the Philippines had prepared for the typhoon before it even struck, readying thousands of clean water kits and tarpaulins for emergency shelter.
Children have some fun out the front of a church that was turned into an evacuation centre after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines.
Working around the clock In the immediate aftermath of the typhoon, Plan’s teams started working around the clock delivering life-saving aid – in some of the most remote and difficult to reach communities – including food, emergency shelter, clean water, and essential sanitation and hygiene supplies. We are also focusing on child protection and child-centred projects. This includes providing ‘emotional first aid’ to children who have survived the typhoon, creating safe play and educational areas, closely monitoring increases in child trafficking, child labour and potential abuse of boys and girls in the aftermath of the disaster. What’s next? After assessing the damage done to impacted communities, we have announced a five-year operation to recovery. This includes meeting survivors’ immediate needs, transitioning into medium-term recovery and helping communities rebuild. Plan aims to support close to 265,000 people – including 105,000 children – across the four provinces of Eastern and Western Samar, Leyte and Cebu.
$671,000 THANK YOU! We were overwhelmed by your support of our Philippines Typhoon Appeal.
Plan’s Country Director in the Philippines, Carin van der Hor says children and young people have been hit hard by the typhoon.
To date, your generous support helped us deliver lifesaving aid and help communities recover from the devastating storm.
“Often we see them only as victims of disaster, but they are also resilient and creative, and sometimes more effective at coping with change than adults. We are committed to protecting the rights of these children as they move on from this disaster, ensuring their voices are being heard and their needs met.”
Here’s a snapshot of what you made possible: 319,948 people received nutritious food
A special note to child sponsors We would like to send a special thank you to all those sponsors who have waited patiently for updates on the wellbeing of their sponsored children in the Philippines. We have now accounted for all sponsored children.
25,250 families received shelter kits to help them to build shelter and stay protected.
We are deeply saddened to advise that eight sponsored children from the Eastern Samar province died during or immediately after the typhoon. All sponsors of these children (living in France, Germany, Norway and the United States of America) have been contacted with this news. We are sure you will join us in sending our condolences to those who are grieving for these children and the thousands more who died during this tragic storm.
25,756 families received hygiene kits to help protect them from disease 18,508 families received water kits giving them access to clean, safe drinking water
We will contact sponsors directly with any further news affecting individual sponsored children and we will also provide regular updates on our website and Facebook page when information becomes available.
10,443 children have been engaged in activities in child friendly spaces
GET INVOLVED
WATCH Visit youtube.com/PlanAustralia to see footage of the storm that was taken by a local Plan staff member when the Typhoon struck and video messages from our CEO when he was in the Philippines.
SUMMER 2014
READ Visit plan.org.au/blog to read personal accounts from Plan staff members who are on the ground in the Philippines.
$
DONATE You can make a donation on our website plan.org.au/donations or by calling 13 75 26.
THE MAGAZINE OF PLAN IN AUSTRALIA GLOBAL CHILD 15
The
Voice
of Youth
Vox
Pop! Avid readers of Global Child will probably be familiar with Plan’s Youth Project Team – an inspiring group of young people that is interested in combating the issues plaguing the wider world by raising awareness and encouraging small changes in everyday life.
They are dedicated to supporting Plan’s vision of ensuring children everywhere access their rights. So, in this issue of Global Child we sat down with a few members (and ran a little vox pop) to find out what child rights mean to them and why they’re so passionate about our cause.
ayla
Liz
Mak
Nata
lie
Clockwise from top-left: Makayla, Liz, Maddy, Natalie, Anthony, Zhi, Angelo, Ann (youth coordinator), Tuna.
Zhi
YOUTH PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS: Makayla Galbraith, 19 | Natalie Petrellis, 19 | Liz Wright, 23 | Zhi, 19
What do you think when you hear the term child rights? ZHI It is something that every child deserves. LIZ Yes and something that needs to be protected – no matter
what! Children are the most vulnerable members of our society and rights are the ultimate entitlements that everyone should have access to. Specifically, I think of freedom and protection.
MAKAYLA I think about how important it is to ensure that the
most vulnerable people in our society are not taken advantage of or exploited and have an enjoyable childhood.
NATALIE Yes, I agree. Children need to feel safe and happy. I see them achieving their dreams and being motivated to achieve the things that they want to because they have sufficient support and resources.
Why are you passionate about child rights? MAKAYLA There are many reasons but perhaps the reason I
am most passionate is that children are our future. We need to ensure that children have the best childhood so that they can succeed in adulthood. Often children don’t have a voice and their opinions are not heard – even on issues that specifically affect them. Children are often the most vulnerable group, and yet they have the least
amount of power. This is why it’s important for people whose voices are louder and can be heard to fight for children and ensure that their rights aren’t infringed upon.
LIZ I'm passionate about social justice and equality. Regardless
of age, no one should be mistreated or oppressed. Children are developing their emotional, physical, intellectual, and social selves and nothing should interrupt development that will span their lifetime.
If someone asked you why it’s important to fight for child rights, what would you say? NATALIE That’s a really hard question to answer and I think it’s because the answer is so simple. I would say that, as a human being, it’s important to fight for child rights, because they are human beings too. They have the same feelings and fears and needs, and it’s unfair to forget about their rights or dismiss them as something that you don’t have the power to change.
LIZ We need to prevent the exploitation of children, protect
their wellbeing, innocence and childhood while thinking of their best interests. Coincidentally the best lesson I learnt as a child was to treat other people how you would want to be treated.
ZHI Everyone, including children, deserves the opportunity
to reach their full potential. It just makes sense that we should strive to uphold these rights to the best of our abilities.
WANT MORE?
SUMMER 2014
»» Get involved If you would like to find out more about Plan’s Youth Project Team or are interested in joining, visit plan.org.au/youth
»» Learn If you'd like to find out more about child rights you can read our blog: 7 things you may not know about child rights at plan.org.au/blog
»» Speak up We would love to hear why you’re passionate about child rights. Leave a comment on our facebook.com/planaustralia page!
»» Say hi! If you’re a young person aged between 12–25 why not like facebook.com/YouthPACT to say hi and stay in touch. It’s a great place to meet like minded people who are just as passionate as you are.
THE MAGAZINE OF PLAN IN AUSTRALIA GLOBAL CHILD 17
GLOBAL
learning
CHILD RIGHTS
Champions The list of people around the world who have and are standing up for children’s rights is endless. Here our Senior Child Rights Specialist, Amalia Fawcett, shares five of her favourites.
Nelson
MANDELA
Malala
YOUSAFZAI
“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul, than the way in which it treats its children.”
“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
Nelson Mandela’s credentials as a leader in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and as the nation’s first black president are well known. However what you may not know is that Mandela was also committed to advocating for the specific rights of children.
Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani schoolgirl who in 2011 was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen. A fierce defender of every child’s right to an education, Malala advocates especially for girls to be granted this right.
Mandela ran his own children’s foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, which helps the most vulnerable children: children who have lost their parents to AIDS, street children, children living with disabilities and poor children. When he was President he donated part of his salary to children’s causes and when he received the Nobel Peace Prize he gave part of the prize money to help street children.
In 2013, Malala marked her 16th birthday by leading the first ever youth takeover of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. At this event Malala also gave her first official televised address since her horrifying attack. In a moving and inspirational speech she explained that she was speaking for all boys and girls and their rights, so that those without a voice could be heard.
In 2005, Mandela won the World's Children's Prize (WCP), and was elected the WCP Child Rights Hero of the decade in 2009, for his unwavering support children’s rights.
She made a powerful plea to all governments to work for peace and to ensure free compulsory education for children all over the world.
Students at their Plan-supported Primary School in Laos. Plan’s programs focus on ensuring all children access their rights.
Eglantyne
Megan
Princes Hill
JEBB
MITCHELL
PRIMARY SCHOOL
“It is the children who pay the highest price for our short sighted economic policy, our political blunders, and our wars.”
“Where does the child’s voice fit in the early childhood conversation? Front and centre.”
“I think you are always free if you are a person with hope.”
Eglantyne Jebb was a British social reformer and founder of Save the Children.
On 25 March 2013 Megan Mitchell became Australia’s first National Children’s Commissioner. In this role she will focus on laws, policies and programs that promote the specific rights and interests of children. And an element of the recruitment process for this role involved children’s feedback and priorities, so she can claim a comprehensive mandate for children’s rights.
Lesser known than the big names already mentioned but equally as worthy. The students at Princes Hill Primary School, Victoria, highlight that you are never too young to take a stand for issues you believe in. And in fact when it comes to children’s rights – who better to raise their voices than children themselves!
Eglantyne Jebb believed in a planned and well researched approach to development, and this in part led her to an increasing focus on children’s rights – an area that wasn’t yet understood or defined. In 1923 she headed to Geneva, with a plan for a Children's Charter. She drafted a short and clear document which asserted the rights of children and the duty of the international community to put children's rights in the forefront of planning. A year later, the Declaration of the Rights of the Child was adopted and was widely supported by governments. In fact, it is one of the main inspirations behind the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been signed and ratified by all but two of the world’s nations and is the guiding document for Plan’s work.
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The Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children have the right to be heard on matters that affect them and Megan acted on this when she began her role. She organised a ‘listening tour’ called the Big Banter, which saw her travel to city and country areas around Australia and hold focus groups with diverse groups of children, children’s advocates and government representatives. She heard from more than 2,000 children who told her to focus on their right to be heard, freedom from violence, and the opportunity to thrive.
After a year-long investigation into the culture of play the students ended up designing and making toys for young asylum seekers who are being held in detention. The toys were then delivered to detention centres by a human rights lawyer. In addition to making a beautiful range of felt and wooden toys, their teachers invited speakers to the school to talk about refugees, human rights and children’s rights. Through this process, they learned more about the rights all children have (like the right to play!) and designed toys for children who have no safe place to play.
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supporters in focus
A rewarding Experience
Each year up to 200 Plan sponsors from Australia visit their sponsored child. After letter-writing, they take the next step to meet their sponsored child and family to see first-hand how their monthly donations have helped to change lives for the better. It’s an extraordinary experience. We receive many letters and emails from Plan sponsors after their visits which explain in great detail the experience they had. They tell us it’s incredibly rewarding and it’s not hard to imagine why! We recently received a letter from long-time supporter and volunteer Carolyn Coxhead and with her permission we have decided to publish it. This is a great example of the true power of child sponsorship.
W
hat changes do you see after seven years?’ asked the local Plan staff member after I left the home of my sponsor child, Ountouch, in Cambodia.
Her two other sisters aged 12 and 9 are also attending primary school. The opportunities appear to be greater for girls than they were for Ountouch’s older sister who had her first baby at 16.
It was the obvious question for him to ask. This was my second visit to see Ountouch and her family – the first being seven years earlier.
The Director of the primary school was positive and enthusiastic about his school’s programs and he stressed the importance of Plan’s support to an education system which is so rundown. The librarian was young and enthusiastic and thrilled to receive our contribution of 30 new Khmer (the local language) books for her library which had only a small collection of rather old titles.
I thought for a moment and answered honestly, saying that her living condition didn’t appear to be any different. Her village and its surrounds still looked the same as it had seven years before – simple homes set among rice paddies. The question (and my answer) stayed with me and I pondered the conversation overnight until finally I realised that I had commented only on the situation at a physical, not personal, level. In honest fact, for this family and their village community, quite a lot had changed. Ountouch’s eldest sister, aged 20, had two children who were both born in a new Plan-supported maternity clinic. And her three-yearold was enrolled at the local pre-school which had been opened only three months before. Her family was also benefiting from a nutrition program being run at the local pre-school where the mothers took turns in groups, twice a week, to cook healthy and nutritious breakfast for the children. (I tried some of this meal myself and it was delicious – a big bowl of rice, pumpkin, greens, egg and chicken.) What a change from a small bowl of rice (or no breakfast) which the children would have had previously. The teacher at the pre-school had attended a Plan-supported Child Club when she was younger and, like many who experienced the leadership opportunities of this group, she had gone on to find work with a Plan-partner organisation. She was also training to be the volunteer Plan representative in her village. Our sponsor child, Ountouch, is in grade four at the local primary school and hopes to continue her schooling and become a teacher.
Ountouch borrows from this library and takes books home to share with the family. During our visit the local rice farmers were attending a Plansupported meeting, the point of which was to demonstrate the results of recent rice trials run in this village. New seed varieties, fertilising and growing methods were being compared in terms of return on investment. The farmers were very supportive of this new and improved way of farming and were already experiencing improved yields. Things were changing. I realised that perhaps it was better for the people of this village to continue to live in the environment they knew, with improved health and education systems and farming practices to give them, and especially their children, the choice and opportunities to change things if that is what they want. This visit reinforced to me the power of sponsorship. You sponsor a child and their whole community benefits. As their community structures improve they have greater opportunities to access their rights – it’s truly incredible to see. Once again I was extremely impressed with the level of commitment of the Plan staff who accompanied us to the community. These people also benefit from the opportunity to work with an organisation like Plan and their experience helps to build a base of expertise which will benefit their country.
Clockwise from top: Carolyn with Ountouch in her village in Cambodia. Ountouch wearing a balloon hat that Carolyn made for her. Carolyn with Ountouch’s family at their home.
GET INVOLVED Want to make your visit happen? If Carolyn’s story has inspired you to visit your sponsored child (it certainly inspired us!) we’d love to help you arrange this.
least one day meeting their sponsored child with his or her family and seeing Plan projects.
All visits must be organised through our national office in Melbourne. Typically we arrange for sponsors to spend at
If you think you’re ready for this extraordinary experience visit plan.org.au/Get-Involved
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THE MAGAZINE OF PLAN IN AUSTRALIA GLOBAL CHILD 21
supporters
Stirling with Plan’s Corporate Manager, Linda Garnett, after he gave her his donation.
in focus
FIVE MINUTES WITH …
Caption:
ONE OF OUR YOUNGEST FUNDRAISERS
What’s your name?
When Plan launched our emergency appeal to help people affected by Typhoon Hayain in the Philippines, thousands of Plan supporters took action. From online donations to fundraising events, we were overwhelmed by your tremendous generosity.
How old are you?
Then, at a fundraising event in December, our Corporate Manager received an unexpected message of support and a donation – from a young boy named Stirling. Stirling, who receives $2 a week pocket money, decided to donate everything he’d saved for six weeks to our Typhoon Haiyan Disaster Appeal. And he sent us that with a special message: “To the Philippines, we hope you guys can rebuild your houses. We’re giving $12 to help you rebuild one house. This is from my piggy bank, I hope it helps you to get more houses. Love Stirling.” How awesome is he? We were so touched by his gesture that we wanted to find out a little more about one of our youngest fundraisers.
Stirling. Five.
Do you like preschool? Yes, I especially like playing sport with Coach Michael.
What’s your favourite thing do? Go to Kids Space (indoor play centre).
What do you want to be when you grow up? I would like to be a footy player. Actually, a tennis player. Or a cricket player. Or a soccer player. Maybe a rugby player. I like all sports! Maybe a basketball player ...
How much money did you raise for the Philippines? Twelve bucks.
How did you raise the money? From my piggy bank.
Why did you want to raise the money? My dad showed me a picture from the newspaper one night at the dinner table. I wanted to get the kids some toys and to help the people in the Philippines.
What would you say to people to tell them to donate to people in the Philippines? Just donate man! It will help the people in the Philippines to re-build their houses.
GET INVOLVED To read more great stories like this, stay tuned to our facebook.com/PlanAustralia where we often post updates on what is happening in our community. If Stirling has inspired you to donate to our Philippines Typhoon Haiyan appeal, you can make a donation online at plan.org.au/donations
22 GLOBAL CHILD THE MAGAZINE OF PLAN IN AUSTRALIA
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This publication has been printed by an ISO 14001 environmental management system (EMS) and ISO 9001 quality management system (QMS) certified printer using vegetable based inks and a 100% alcohol free printing process. It is manufactured using an independently audited carbon neutral process. The paper is ecoStar, a FSC速 Recycled certified paper made carbon neutral (CN), manufactured from 100% post consumer recycled paper in a process chlorine free environment and under an ISO 14001 EMS. This publication is fully recyclable, please dispose of wisely.
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THE MAGAZINE OF PLAN IN AUSTRALIA GLOBAL CHILD 23
ions Partn er Nat d e
Un it
cies en Ag
12:1
Food Gra for child nt ren la
P
How much food can you give to hungry children with $25?
nI
nte r
natio na
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Children from South Sudan eat rice at a refugee camp in Uganda.
With a new 12:1 Food Grant to Plan International from UN partner agencies, every dollar you give is multiplied 12 times. That means $25 can provide $300 worth of food to children in countries like South Sudan, Zimbabwe and Cambodia. With hunger from the crisis in South Sudan threatening the lives of children, your help to provide food now is vital. $25 provides $300 worth of food. $100 provides $1200 worth of food.
Please give now.
Call 13 75 26 or visit www.plan.org.au