Street Kids International (or Street Kids) is a Canadian-based non-governmental organization founded by Peter Dalglish, Chris Lowry and Frank O'Dea in 1988. The organization focuses on providing street youth with the opportunity to lead safer and better lives through three main programme avenues: street health, street work and street rights. In 2008, Street Kids International expanded its operations to the United Kingdom with Street Kids International UK.
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Founding history
Street Kids International was born out of the Second Sudanese War that began in 1983. In the mid 1980s, Peter Dalglish worked in Sudan as a field worker for the United Nations. While in Sudan, Peter organized the first technical training school for street children in the country. The vocational school trained street youth to become apprentice mechanics, welders and electricians.
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History: 1988-2009
1988 marked the birth of Street Kids International as a registered charity in Canada and in the following year, the organization premiered the animation Karate Kids. The film, which later won the Peter F. Drucker Award for Non-Profit Innovation in 1993, addresses health related issues faced by street youth.
Following Karate Kids, Street Kids International developed a second animation entitled Goldtooth. Again, Street Kids International's work was recognized when it won the UNICEF Prize at the 1996 Ottawa International Film Festival. Both films were directed by Derek Lamb, an Academy Award-winning animation filmmaker and producer, and co-produced by Chris Lowry (www.ecotone.ca).
In 2001, the organization premiered its latest animation entitled Speed's Choice. In a shift away from health-related issues, the animation addresses the subject of street entrepreneurship. According to the Street Kids International website, the film is a component of their Street Work programme. Since 2001, Street Kids International has undertaken various initiatives in Canada and internationally, and in 2007, the organization was recognized by CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) for their Long-Term Commitment to International Cooperation.
In January 2015, Save the Children and Street Kids International announced that they will become one to help more children and youth tackle the cycle of poverty by building sustainable income-generating opportunities.
Recognized as two of the world's leading organizations for children, Save the Children and Street Kids International are both committed to helping children and youth reach their full potential. In many countries where Save the Children works, this aim is hindered by the systemic cycle of poverty. Save the Children and Street Kids International's Livelihood programs focus on creating sustainable income-generating activities to help youth break that cycle. Both organizations use similar practical-based methodologies, which will allow for a natural transition.
"Having delivered Street Kids International programming in Bolivia, I have personally witnessed the impact on individual lives," said Patricia Erb, President and CEO, Save the Children Canada. "The Street Kids development model is effective at creating sustainable change, and we are excited to welcome Street Kids into our family to impact more lives."
Street Kids International's mission to empower youth to earn and sustain a living will further Save the Children's mission of inspiring breakthroughs in the way the world treats children.
"Becoming part of Save the Children will allow Street Kids International to dramatically increase its capacity and empower more youth to build sustainable futures for themselves and their families," said Prea Grover, Executive Director, Street Kids International. "We have partnered with Save the Children in many countries to create a lasting impact for the children and youth. By coming together, we can only increase this impact."
Save the Children will continue Street Kids International's programming in Ethiopia and adapt its curriculum to many of Save the Children's own Livelihood programs. Street Kids International's curriculum is deeply specialized, which will allow Save the Children to strengthen an existing competency in youth livelihoods and Street Kids International's programming to reach more beneficiaries through Save the Children's expansive reach.
Both organizations believe that every child has the right to a better future. Street Kids International's mission to empower youth to earn and sustain a living, will further Save the Children's mission of inspiring breakthroughs in the way the word treats children. Together, the organizations will create lasting change for children and youth around the world.
Achievements
A few of Street Kids International's more notable achievements:
- 1987 Street Kids International Bicycle Courier Service operational in Khartoum, Sudan.
- 1989 Karate Kids animation about street youth and sexual health premieres.
- 1993 Karate Kids animation wins Drucker Award for Non-Profit Innovation
- 1995 Goldtooth animation about street youth and drug use premieres.
- 1996 UNICEF's Meena Prize, received for Goldtooth
- 2001 Speed's Choice animation about street kid entrepreneurialism premieres.
- 2007 Recipient of the CME and CIDA Special Recognition Award for Long-Term Commitment to International Cooperation
- 2007 Established Street Kids UK, and joined the Consortium for Street Children based in the UK.
- 2007 Finalist for the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize.
- 2015 Street Kids International and Save the Children become one under the banner Save the Children
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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