Often, our Founder Donna Karan, will speak about her vision for education; about her belief that true learning must expand beyond just reading, writing and arithmatic to include the mind, body and spirit. Children need tactile, experiential learning; they need to learn from their relationships and from diverse cultures and people groups.
It is with these thoughts in mind that we share with you our Children for Children Haiti Project. This project has been designed to connect children through creativity, generosity and a healthy curiosity for new, unexplored cultures.
Here, Urban Zen Team Member Chiara Bombieri-Morales shares her vision:
Allison Rapson: Can you tell us about the project?
Chiara Bombieri-Morales: I am currently working on a project called the Children for Children Haiti Project. The project involves children (grades 3-8) at the Rudolf Steiner School in NYC to create hand-crafted children’s toys that will be donated to orphans in Haiti for Christmas. With the support of the school’s handwork teacher, Mary Lynn Lorinz, children have been making hacky sacks, hand-knit woolen balls, and felted frisbees amongst other things.
AR: What inspired you to do this?
CBM: As an alumni of the Rudolf Steiner School, one of the things that continues to inspire me about the education I received there is the imaginative creativity that is spun into the children’s day-to-day lives. Similarly, I found that many of the artisans that Donna Karan has been working with use this same creativity when designing their handmade crafts. This connection lead me to try to find a way that we could create a symbiotic relationship that exchanges creativity. As I have a passion for children’s empowerment, I came up with the “Children for Children Haiti Project.” I believe it’s important that we teach children about other cultures and that people can create change to help the less fortunate. Something as simple as a hand knit gift from one child to another is very special!
AR: What do you hope the children will learn from this?
CBM: Some of the older children have been given a brief overview of Haiti’s culture, which I think is important. It was explained to all the children who the gifts were meant for and why they were doing what they were doing. For me, this is important because it teaches children about the lives and cultures of people living outside of their own society. I wanted this project to be an exchange. Although the children of the Rudolf Steiner School are giving they are also receiving knowledge about other children’s cultures.
AR: Why did you want to launch this during the holiday season? How would you like to see this project develop?
CBM: It was just the right timing. I thought it would be nice for children (in this case orphans) to receive something for the holidays. I think that this project is something that can be expanded and can involve more schools and children.
AR: Why is connecting children & cultures important to you?
CBM: I think that in this day and age we, myself included, get very distracted with life. Technology is expanding, which on the one hand is great because it makes information more accessible, but on the other hand requires that people find and take the time to seek that information. This project is meant to create time and space so that children can learn in a fun manner about new cultures as well as give back to others. I believe it is crucial we teach children to be conscious and aware of the rest of the world so that we can create a global consciousness to be able to facilitate change.
AR: How did you discover your passion for working with children?
CBM: I have always loved children! The innocence they posses is something that is priceless. I believe that in order for the world to change we have to educate our children and make sure that we can preserve their innocence for as long as possible. As the world becomes more and more interconnected it is important that we find ways to work collaboratively.
AR: How would you encourage others to get involved with their passions?
CBM: I think that the best way others can get involved with their passions is by just doing it. It doesn’t matter how big or small the impact. Rather, it is important is that you’re out there doing something. There are plenty of ways people can be involved in creating change! I think the best way to start is something as small as reading the newspaper everyday and taking the time to read both national and international stories. The more people are informed the better.
Related posts:
- Urban Zen, FFAWN & NASA: Teaching Children to be limitless
- FOOD SOLUTIONS: Changing the Palate of America’s Children
- Celebrating Children through Art Education
- The Thorn Tree Project & Strengthening the ‘Red Thread of Love’
- UZIT Reflections on Haiti
