Eoin let’s his hands do the talking at Scoil Caitlin Maude
Dublin June 17th, 2015
Our recent visit to Scoil Caitlin Maude was both a great success, and a fun day out. It was great to see the children so full of enthusiasm and a genuine appetite to get involved in our work to promote global understanding of children’s rights. Our staff members, Deirdre, Clodagh & Brian were given fantastic cooperation and support, at what we know was a particularly busy time in the school year.
The Show of Hands campaign is designed to be a fun way to engage children in the promotion of their own human rights. Children in schools across several continents have been asked to make prints of their hands in the shape of a butterfly. Why a butterfly? In cultural myth and folk lore, the butterfly is a symbol of transformation, and also representative of the soul. It is also closely associated with children. In the western world, the symbol of the butterfly stands for freedom, fun and joyous times. It also evokes “the butterfly effect,” meaning that small efforts made by individuals can cumulatively make an enormous difference. We hope that this campaign will transform the world for millions of children suffering from violence and exploitation. The prints are being collated by our colleagues in the US, and digitised for showcase on a new promotional website,. The website will include copies of the hand prints and photo’s, as well as an interactive map.
Roll up for more paint!
Clodagh Displaying a Completed Butterfly Hand-Print
Clean hands are important!
2015 is a hugely significant year for Children, with the international community set to affirm a range of priority goals – goals that are designed to help end human suffering, improve the quality of life for those most disadvantaged, and remove global inequality. Through our successful Free From Violence campaign, ChildFund has lobbied tirelessly at UN level, for the inclusion of specific goals that will directly affect children. These goals will form the basis of binding commitments from the international community later this year. The copper-fastening of these targets will help protect children from future harm, exploitation and abuse. It will enshrine their human rights and give them agency, in a world where their voices are often marginalised.
Tori & Ava helped us with our Small Voices Human Right Survey
Every year ChildFund undertakes its Small Voices Big Dreams survey. It provides an invaluable, fascinating and deeply necessary insight into what children think about their own rights. Children’s voices are often under heard, misrepresented, or simply ignored. The SVBD survey is a way to hand the microphone to kids, and allow them to guide us in what THEY see as priorities. By doing so, they can help enlighten us, and ultimately to help us in our work to protect them from human rights abuses, and exploitation. The survey is carried out in countries across several continents and findings will be published in a report later this year, which you will be able to find on our website. If your child or a child known to you between the ages of 10-12 would like to take the survey, we would be most appreciative. The survey can be accessed HERE
Tori & Ava, with ChildFund’s Deirdre Regan
We would like to offer our appreciation once again to all the pupils and staff of Scoil Chaitlin Maude, and in particular, we would like to say a big thanks to Sarah Rooney for her time, energy and enthusiasm – Thank you Sarah!
We look forward to seeing you all again next year.
Go raibh mile maith agat.
ChildFund Ireland
