“Children Believe” Celebrates International Day of the Girl Child
Posted on October 10, 2019 | by Fusia
As International Day of the Girl Child approaches on October 11th, Children Believe is calling for greater gender equality for girls in Canada and across the world through the power of education.
For nearly 60 years, the national children’s rights and advocacy organization, previously known as CCFC, has championed social issues facing girls worldwide, such as violence, forced child marriage and lack of access to education. To date, it has reached nearly 73,000 students, parents, teachers and community leaders through its awareness-raising campaigns on issues such as education for girls, and will continue this mission as Children Believe.
“A compelling brand helps us empower children to access education, stand up for what they believe in and be heard in a way that excites people to join our work,” says CCFC’s CEO, Patrick Canagasingham. “Whether it’s being the first in their family to go to school, saying no to child marriage or becoming Prime Minister, we help children believe they can do the extraordinary. That, can take them anywhere.”
Children Believe is about the potential and possibility of every child and the organization’s belief that education is the most powerful tool children can use to change their world.
Through its work in Africa, Asia and Central and South America, the agency helps children dream fearlessly, providing the tools and training they need to overcome barriers preventing them from accessing education and being a voice for change. Through the support of sponsors and other partners, young people with big dreams – and even bigger hurdles standing in the way of achieving them – are empowered to challenge inequality, discrimination and violence and thrive amidst adversity.
Canagasingham adds, “Our success is rooted in our child sponsorship program. Nearly 40,000 Canadians sponsor children through our organization and we have ambitious goals to reach even more children and youth who need help. Working with children, we have gained a deep understanding of how their rights are violated. Together with our implementing partners, we are breaking barriers that currently keep 260 million children globally out of school and prevent others from staying in school. We bring together families, communities, coalitions, businesses and academia to champion children’s rights and aspirations. As part of that work, we ensure that basic infrastructure, such as clean water sources, healthcare and schools are there to support them.”
To learn more, visit www.childrenbelieve.ca.
