Response to Reviews of If I Had the Chance Artwork from the Streets of Asia and the Pacific

Abstract

Children, Youth and Environments. Vol 14, No.2 (2004) ISSN 1546-2250 Response to Reviews of If I Had the Chance… Artwork from the Streets of Asia and the Pacific Lynette Mallery Asian Development Bank Citation: Mallery, Lynette. Response to Reviews of If I Had the Chance…Artwork from the Streets of Asia and the Pacific.” Children, Youth and Environments 14(2), 2004. The editors of the book If I Had the Chance…Artwork from the Streets of Asia and the Pacific are grateful for the feedback these reviews provide. The reviews affirm our intention to have raised awareness of the effects of poverty on children. The fact that the book is being widely disseminated gives us hope that the children’s voices, which they expressed through their art, will be heard. As noted, the book is a “wonderful repository of data that can be fruitfully explored by layman, fieldworker and academic” as well as being a “moving catalogue of artwork.” Objective of the Book If I Had the Chance…Artwork from the Streets of Asia and the Pacific brings attention to the increasing number of children living on the streets of Asia and the Pacific. The book was one medium for the children to voice their dreams and aspirations. In preparing the art competition in seven cities—Dhaka, Jakarta, Kathmandu, Manila, Phnom Penh, Port Moresby, and Ulaanbaatar—the Asian Development Bank (ADB) liaised with nongovernment organizations (NGOs) that work with street children. After the competition, ADB organized a Roundtable with NGOs on Street Children in Manila to determine more closely the needs to be addressed. This cooperation is ongoing and is in line with ADB’s policy on cooperation with NGOs. 304 Content of the Book The book contains artwork and interviews from over 100 of the 1,060 children who joined the competition. Most of the artwork presented in the book came from the awardees; other artwork was chosen for its visual effectiveness, or how closely it related to the tapestry created by the children’s lives. While we attempted to interview all of the children who received awards, some children were not available. Selection of Artwork and Interviews In the presentation of the artwork and interviews, we decided against highlighting which art had been awarded a prize to remove the stigma of winners and non-winners. The intention was to highlight the common themes and common experiences all of the children experience, and to let those experiences speak to the reader. Awards The awards, including a trophy and a cash prize for art-related activities, were intended to encourage the children to further develop their artistic skills. The competition and the book were meant to celebrate the talent these children have, and to give the children an opportunity to showcase that talent. Organization/Layout of the Book While some reviews said the “graphic design is excellent” and the format “simple and effective,” some sought more organization in the presentation. (Note: The book won a 2004 Gold Quill Award of Excellence for Design from the International Association of Business Communicators.) We wanted the children’s art to speak for itself. We grouped some of the art to highlight the similarities in the drawings and thoughts of the children. We then cross-referenced the art to the interviews. What is ADB? 305 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a multilateral development finance institution dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific. Established in 1966, ADB is owned by 63 members, both within and outside the Asia and Pacific region (the U.S. is one of largest contributors to ADB). ADB’s headquarters are located in Manila, Philippines with more than 2,000 staff from over 50 countries. ADB has field offices worldwide, including one in Washington, D.C. In November 1999, ADB’s Board of Directors approved the Poverty Reduction Strategy, which seeks to combat poverty through the following three pillars: 1) anti-poverty, sustainable economic growth—to generate employment and incomes, and promote policies that encourage labor-intensive growth; 2) inclusive social development—to promote the development of human capital that is the primary asset of the poor, improve access to basic social services, and strengthen the...