26 Feb 2008 11:30 Africa/Lagos
One Hen from Kids Can Press: An Inspiring Story of a Child's Determination to Escape Poverty
CHAPPAQUA, N.Y., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ --
While children in Western countries usually don't worry about access to food, shelter, and the opportunity to attend school, three billion people worldwide struggle to live on less than $2 a day. Kids Can Press, publishers of Ryan and Jimmy, One Well, and If the World Were a Village, is known for its books that raise kids' social consciousness. One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference, written by Katie Smith Milway and illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes, encourages children ages 7 and up to think about the power we each have to initiate positive changes in the world. In addition, children can play online games to experience the impact a small loan has on a virtual village at www.onehen.org. The One Hen website also features video stories, links to microlending organizations, and special sections for parents, teachers, and librarians.
One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who uses the proceeds from a small loan to build a thriving farm. Kojo's story demonstrates the impact that microloans -- a lending system for people in developing countries who have no collateral and no access to conventional banking -- can have on one boy and his community.
At the end of Milway's fictional tale, children learn the true story of Kwabena Darko, the inspiration for One Hen. Mr. Darko built the largest poultry operation in East Africa and now sits on the board of Opportunity International, one of the world's biggest microcredit lending organizations. One Hen also explains the microloan system and offers information about relevant organizations for families to explore.
Author Katie Smith Milway has lived in Africa and worked with village banking programs. "When I stumbled on Kwabena Darko's story, I knew I had found a way to tell children about the power that one small loan can have to change lives," she says. Illustrator Eugenie Fernandes referenced an extensive collection of East African photographs so that her evocative and colorful illustrations would reflect Ghana accurately.
For more information about One Hen and microlending, visit www.onehen.org.
Source: Kids Can Press
CONTACT: Raab Associates Inc. for Kids Can Press, +1-914-241-2117,
info@raabassociates.com
Web site: http://www.onehen.org/
NOTE TO EDITORS: Kwabena Darko available for interviews in New York March 3-4; Katie Smith Milway available on an ongoing basis in Boston and New York.
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