Because of you, children are learning about their identity
Thanks to your support, tamariki and rangatahi across Aotearoa New Zealand have been exploring what it means to know who you are, through creativity, storytelling and their own voices.
Every child has the right to an identity
Children have the right to know who they are and where they belong. This year, Save the Children teamed up with The Light Library and four public libraries to host ‘Identity is my right to be me’ workshops – creative, rights-focused sessions that helped children and caregivers explore identity through art, storytelling and bookbinding.
Participants wrote personal stories, illustrated their ideas, and learned how to make their own books, titled I have a story to tell. These books became both personal keepsakes and powerful tools to reflect on identity, belonging and rights.
Creative learning brought rights to life
The workshops were more than just fun sessions, they encouraged children to:
- express themselves in their own words
- explore how their culture, family and experiences shape who they are
- build confidence through storytelling and creative making
A collective poem about identity was also co-created and translated into Te Reo Māori.
Watch the video.
Our World Children’s Day event at Te Atatū Peninsula Library brought together the learnings of our workshop series in a celebration event with whānau and friends, kai, and fun. At the heart of the celebration was our commitment to children’s rights, particularly the right to identity, and creating spaces where children can express who they are and where they come from.
Watch the video.
If you want to try it out for yourself, check out our free education resource which includes step-by-step guides for running identity-focused workshops and bookbinding activities.
Find out more here: Identity is my right to be me — Save the Children NZ
