ABOUT KGN

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OUR MISSION

KIDS Global Network, Inc. uses the arts to improve the physical, educational and social circumstances of disadvantaged children at home and abroad.

OUR VISION

We seek to enrich and improve the lives of disadvantaged children, while raising awareness of their needs. We focus our efforts on educational projects and projects that promote healthful activity. In accomplishing our mission, we collaborate with the arts and educational communities, non-profit organizations and youth advocates.

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HISTORY

KIDS Global Network, Inc. was founded in 2004 by a group of individuals concerned with the circumstances of children in developing countries and in the USA.  The educational, physical and social needs of these children were of particular interest. As many children live in privileged circumstances in this country, this group also realized a need to express and educate the American public the inequities and similarities among children throughout the world.

In 2007 we partnered with Student Movement for Real change to build a library in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa.  Starting with a pen pal project between Oakton School in Evanston, IL and Manyeleti Primary School in Gothenburg, South Africa we travelled to the school and realized the lack of resources.  After building the library we filled it with fiction, non-fiction, globes, atlases, etc. The project culminated in a photo exhibition with photos by Jon Lowenstein, an acclaimed photographer.

In Chicago in 2014, we came together with the Chicago Literacy Alliance to participate in a project to target Cameron Elementary School, a CPS school in Humboldt Park.  Twelve organizations participated in a two- year program to improve the school. We partnered with 826Chi, a writing organization founded by Dave Eggers to implement a photography/self-portrait project for 7th graders.

In 2017, in Evanston, IL, we partnered with the Evanston Public Library and the Evanston Students without Border’s Club to implement a PhotoVoice project.  This participatory photo project focused on immigration issues while teaching the participants photo skills, visual literacy, advocacy and presentation.  This project culminated in an exhibit at the Evanston Public Library.