Shantou China
KTKI Silently Comes Closer to Shantou
Building a Bridge of Friendship between Shantounese and American Children
Topic of the Day
Reporter for this newspaper: Chen Hong Bin
Recently, on a local internet forum I found that an American friend, Ai Min (Amy Campney’s Chinese name), wants to help an American organization “Kids to Kids International” (which means Kids to Kids International Organization, abbreviated KTKI) find a school in Shantou to become a partner with their organization. After a fwe weeks of considering, I contacted Amy.
Amy is an English teacher at a school in the city who after staying in Shantou for a year and a half, went back home. While at home, she ran into KTKI on the internet and contacted them to become a member. In July of this year Amy returned to Shantou, “because I’m used to life in Shantou and have a job here, so I came back.”
About KTKI
In order to help Shantou’s schools and children understand KTKI, Amy shared with me the organizations beginning and the projects they’ve carried out. In 1986, children’s book author Pat Kibbe was in Vermont waiting to speak to students about her books. While waiting, she came across an article about a Cambodian refugee camp at the Thai-Cambodian border.
She saw a picture of a boy showing his most prized possession - a postcard of the Empire State Building. Moved by the image, Kibbe spoke to the students about him. The wanted to write to the boy, but since he didn’t speak English, one of the children suggested they draw pictures. Shortly thereafter a box of hand-drawn pictures came in the mail from the students. Kibbe felt honor bound to find a way to get the drawings to that boy. She met with the head of Refugees International, who offered to send her to the camp so she could personally deliver the drawings. Traveling to Kampuchea, she realized how many children she could help by continuing this idea, and so Kids to Kids International (KTKI) was born.
In 1991, the importance of the fledgling program was recognized by the United Nations Border Relief operation and KTKI was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in the USA. By the end of 1996, KTKI was sending thousands of picture books and writing/art supplies to children in 34 countries on 5 continents. Currently, the number of countries has climbed to over 50. They have already made partnerships with schools in Beijing and other Chinese cities.
Making a Friendship Bridge for the Children
Amy says this is the first time this project has been developed in Shantou; what she’s looking to do is give partner schools in Shantou handmade picture books, postcards, and pictures of American kids. The boxes sent also include a disposable camera, which should be used to take pictures of the kids here and send them back to the American friends. When they are sent back to the US and revealed, American students can see their new friends and learn more about their living conditions.
What kind of school is KTKI looking to partner with? “Although it is making relationships between the organization and schools, the most important thing is to improve relations between our two countries. Many schools would want to make friendship with American schools but this organization isn’t just looking to make friendships, it also aims to help poor children or those affected by war. Personally, I want to start out with this organization’s activity and perhaps in the future I could start another program or another type of contribution.”
Int he US, how does KTKI collect picture books and postcards from American kids? Amy tells me, it’s mostly through American elementary teachers who contact the organization and then during the language arts class time have the students draw pictures and make them into books or draw postcards. They also tell the students stories about China, help them understand many aspects of our country, including economy, society, culture, and customs. An important assignment for a given week would be this picture book, and that week they should also learn about the country where the picture books will be sent.
KTKI will choose two or three schools in Shantou or the surrounding counties to become a partner school. Generally, Amy will give the school office a call and arrange a time to meet with the Principal, then show him or her some picture books and postcards and discuss how to do this activity. Afterwards, she will contact the organization and ask them to send the box. The organization already has the boxes ready; they are just waiting for her to find schools. The boxes will first be sent to Amy and then she will take them to the partner schools.
As of now, Shantou School for Non-Native Worker’s Children has partnered with Amy. When the school’s Principal, Mr. Yang, was interviewed he said, he was moved to see an American like Amy with this kind of caring. Working with this organization, he hopes on one hand the children can learn gratitude, on another hand they can broaden their vision, and more generally speaking strengthen Sino-American cultural exchange.
Shantounese Kids are Respectful to their Elders and Very Smart
“I think Chinese people’s respect for their elders (filial pety) is remarkable! From the beginning parents nurture their children’s filial piety. Besides this, Shantou kids are pretty similar to American Kids.” Amy says she really enjoys being a teacher in Shantou and likes teaching Shantounese kids, “They are all very smart.” Since she has become a representative of KTKI in Shantou she “also wants to connect with kids that aren’t so well-off, but until now (hasn’t) had much chance.” But she believes, partnering with Shantou School for Non-Native Worker’s Children, she will have more opportunities to help Shantounese and American kids connect.
Translator’s note: The Chinese word 
which literally means little friend has been translated as kid or child because that is the most common colloquil meaning used in Chinese society.
Amy is an American English teacher at a school in Shantou. She found KTKI on the internet and became a member. In July of 2008 Amy returned to Shantou and continues to teach and be a KTKI partner. Here are photos of her students.
32 Photos
