Universal Children’s Day 2013

Universal Children’s Day has been recognized annually on November 20th since 1954 by the United Nations to encourage all countries to promote activities that benefit the welfare of the children. Building on these ideas, the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1989.

Global Communities is working with communities around the world implementing programs that assist families and children in the areas of education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, disease prevention, early childhood development, and school infrastructure.

Rwanda: Promoting Early Childhood Development
Under the USAID-funded Higa Ubeho program, Global Communities is helping to promote childhood development through the establishment of playgroups. The playgroups are open to all children under 5, but were created to target children from poor, rural areas and orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) who have limited learning opportunities. Young children of poor families, especially those affected by HIV and AIDS, can be isolated, under-stimulated and slow to learn. The playgroup activities are designed to engage the children and help develop their social, motor, language and cognitive thinking skills.

India: Promoting Community Development
With funding from the John Deere Foundation, the Slum Improvement Program work to improve the living conditions and livelihoods of slum residents in Pune. The program focuses on making deep impacts in 6 slums and 4 villages while strengthening bottom-up planning practices and institutionalizing new poverty reduction programs within the local government. Activities include interventions in schools and child care centers to promote early childhood development and enhanced learning opportunities in these under-resourced areas.

Kenya: Health Education in Urban Slums
Over half of Nairobi’s population lives in informal settlements, which are characterized by high poverty, insecurity, poor health outcomes, substance abuse and low levels of education. Through the USAID-funded Healthy Outcomes through Prevention Education (HOPE) program, Global Communities is working to improve students’ HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes, and practices in primary and secondary schools in slum communities.

Honduras: Preventing Malaria
Working together with the Honduran Department of Health’s National Malaria Program and the Department of Health of La Moskitia Region, Global Communities is the main recipient of the Global Fund – Malaria Initiative whose main goals are to implement strategies for promotion, prevention and control of risk factors and provide effective and prompt treatment to everyone diagnosed with malaria. These prevention efforts are having direct impact on vulnerable communities and families.

Rwanda: Nutrition Education and Household Gardens
Through the USAID-funded Ejo Heza program, Global Communities is working to improve the livelihoods and food consumption of 75,000 of Rwanda’s very poor, particularly women and children. The program builds the capacity of low-income households to access financial services, offers financial literacy training and nutrition education, and promotes kitchen gardening to boost household level food security and more nutritious diets.

India: Promoting Healthier and Greener School Environments
The Green Apple Day on Service is held annually as an opportunity for students, teachers, community members and local government and business leaders to come together in support of healthy, sustainable schools, by taking action in their communities. In India, Global Communities organized a week-long series of activities in the slum communities of Pune and Bangalore in India with more than 10 schools and colleges focused on improving sanitation and solid waste management. Worldwide, Global Communities organized Green Apple Day of Service activities in five countries this year including Colombia, Ghana, India, Kenya and the U.S.