On 3 February 2010, over 100 underprivileged Filipino children will participate in the ‘Kids Creating Change’ Festival at La Mesa Ecopark, Quezon City. This creative-arts based event will inspire and empower Filipino children to actively address the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Addressing Social Problems through Art and Creativity

One of the highlights of the day will be ‘Nylon Zoo’, a massive inflatable salmon which holds 30-40 children and will be a venue for dress-up animal parades and story time. The day also involves a performance by the Hope Worldwide Puppet Theatre Troupe and a theatre performance by former street children from Bahay Tuluyan Philippines.

The MDGs of literacy, sustainable development, children’s health and livelihood projects will be featured as part of the event’s activities. The children attending will gain skills, inspiration and confidence to lead change in their communities.

Event organizer Lea Czikowski said: “The empowerment of children means that they can act as the drivers for development in their community. I strongly believe that the creative arts are intrinsic to development and that together we can achieve wonderful things.”

A Fresh Change for Smokey Mountain and Payatas Kids

The children attending the event come from Smokey Mountain, Payatas and other disadvantaged communities. These are especially vulnerable communities that require support in achieving sustainable development.

The inspiration for the event came from a visit to Smokey Mountain II by a group of AYAD volunteers, including Ms. Czikowski. While there the volunteers ran a hands-on environmental-arts based session with the children of Smokey Mountain’s Day Care Centre, and visited their homes on the waste site of Smokey Mountain.

Ms Czikowski said: “Although the experience was heartening in many ways, it was also very difficult to witness children being exposed to dangerous toxins being emitted from the waste site.  As a result, our group was determined to assist the children in any way we could.”

Global Partnerships to Benefit Filipino Kids

Kids Creating Change has been organized by Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development, and local organizations including HOPE, Kids Ahoy Creative Playshop, Save the Children and the Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade Inc.  Acclaimed Canadian-Australian artist Evelyn Roth, brainchild of the Nylon Zoo installation will also be visiting the Philippines for the first time as part of KCC.

KCC is being funded by AusAID, the Australian Government’s overseas aid program, and by Austraining, a specialist project management and international development organization managing bilateral and multilateral projects throughout the Asia Pacific.

Making a lasting impact

Jerome Vinarao, President and Artistic Director of the Center for Arts Foundation in Manila said: “I believe this project will make a lasting impact on the lives of the children who will benefit from this.

“It must always be our goal to help these children discover their creative talents and assist them in reinventing themselves. Once this is achieved, a better generation and a creative society will emerge. I want to see that happen.”

Kids Creating Change Festival opens at 10am on February 3, and will close with participants signing a personal pledge at 4pm to take action towards the MDGs in their own communities.

About Kids Creating Change 2010

Kids Creating Change (KCC) 2010 is a one-day event involving group activities, workshops, costume parades, installations, film, drama and dance presentations.  The aim of KCC is to create an interactive experience that harnesses the creative arts to inspire and empower underprivileged Filipino youth to work towards the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

KCC is a collaboration of local and international artists, Filipino non-government organizations and international volunteers.

For more information
Contact:  Lea Czikowski, 0939 639 2016, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it