2008 Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Backgrounder How To Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
1. Canadian children can join thousands of their peers in the fun of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF by fundraising through their schools and in their communities; Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF gives the gift of education to children in other parts of the world. This year, through the Schools for Africa programme (more information below), funds raised will help children in Malawi and Rwanda go to school. UNICEF Canada, in partnership with educational partners across Canada, has provided innovative and relevant educational DVD’s and lesson plans about children in other parts of the world for simple use in classrooms across Canada. Canadian students participating in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF create and participate in exciting fundraising events such as a walk for water, classroom under a tree and a Malawi campout night. Giving the gift of education to children in Malawi and Rwanda is as easy as donating approximately $25, which can help UNICEF provide a child with a desk, or $5, which can provide a classroom with pencils, or up to $250 for a School-in-a-Box. A certificate of appreciation and a reflective Halloween sticker will be given to Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF participants. They can proudly display the certificate on their home windowsills and wear their reflective sticker while trick-or-treating on October 31st. 2. Adults can give the gift of education by supporting a child Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF fundraiser, create their own Halloween fundraising events, and by going online to donate at www.trickortreatforunicef.ca.
The History of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
For generations, Canadian children have had fun supporting other children around the globe during Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. The tradition of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF continues to be the most popular Halloween fundraising activity undertaken annually by thousands of children in every province and territory across Canada. Since the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign began in 1955, Canadians have raised more than $96 million.
Recognized as a uniting Canadian tradition inextricably associated with Halloween, in the fall of 2000, the Government of Canada officially declared October 31st of every year to be National UNICEF Day. In 2006, the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign was made more engaging, educational and fun for Canadian kids and relevant, flexible and easy to implement for Canadian teachers. Rather than collecting pennies on October 31st, Canadian students now have the opportunity to learn about their peers in Africa while raising funds in creative and symbolic ways throughout the month of October.
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Proceeds - The Schools for Africa Programme
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF gives the gift of education to children in other parts of the world. This year, through the Schools for Africa programme, funds raised will help children in Malawi and Rwanda go to school. The Schools for Africa programme is a joint initiative between UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Hamburg Society for the Promotion of Democracy and International Law. Schools for Africa gives children a safe and healthy place to learn by building classrooms, separate sanitation facilities and community learning centres, as well as training teachers and providing school materials and furniture to children in six African countries. By 2010, more than 1 million children in Rwanda and Malawi will benefit from the Schools for Africa programme.
Result Highlights of the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Campaigns (2006 and 2007)
More than 725,000 students in 3,000 schools across Canada raised more than $5 million 230,000 students in Malawi received school supplies, including exercise books 4,500 students at 26 schools benefited from new school furniture in Malawi Water and sanitation facilities were provided, benefiting 150,000 children in Malawi Building or repairing 54 schools in Rwanda; each school is equipped with a playground, a clean water source and gender-sensitive washroom facilities UNICEF is providing rehabilitation of 200 classrooms benefiting 12,000 students in Rwanda Training 3,600 teachers in both Malawi and Rwanda on child-friendly teaching practices that focus on gender sensitivity, skill-based curriculums, life-skill teaching, and special-needstudent education, benefiting 170,000 children
-30For more information, please visit www.trickortreatforunicef.ca or contact: English-language media Kathleen Powderley, UNICEF Canada Cell: 416-803-5597; Tel: 416-482-4444, ext. 8810 Deborah Chapman, UNICEF Canada Tel: 613-728-1942; Cell: 613-451-0247
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