Where We Work

Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania

The HIV / AIDS virus continues to threaten the lives and health of untold numbers of children growing up in sub-Saharan Africa.

Our new series of films, which was shot in May this year, addresses three key issues in the effort to combat its spread: gender equality, stigma, and prevention.

We'll be launching the films in these three countries, but the series was created so that it is culturally appropriate to additional sub-Saharan African regions.

Indonesia and East Timor

The world's eyes were on Indonesia in the aftermath of the devastating 2004 tsunami. The region, including neighbouring East Timor, has suffered smaller tsunamis since then which have claimed many additional lives, and its population lives under the constant threat of earthquakes, floods and landslides, and, in certain regions, volcanoes.

Our Tales of Disasters series was launched here in late 2007. Since then, it has been taken to schools and community groups by our key local partners, IDEP and JRS (Jesuit Refugee Service), and has had a strong impact on how children and communities understand how to prepare for and keep safe during natural disasters.

The region is also where we launched our Two Gardens peace-building film which accompanies the series.

The Philippines

No Strings has extended the reach of the natural disasters and peace-building series to the Philippines. Partners involved in the dissemination of the films include Trocaire, Plan, Save the Children, World Vision, Oxfam, Unicef, as well as the Filipino Department of Education, which has committed to incorporating the programme into its national curriculum in order to reach every elementary schoolchild in the country.

Our Two Gardens peace-building film is also being used around the country, particularly by interfaith organisations on the conflict-affected island of Mindanao.   

Afghanistan

No Strings' first project is a landmine-awareness film, ChucheQhalin, or the Story of the Little Carpet Boy. Based loosely around the story of Pinocchio, Chuchi has to learn how to get to school safely and avoid any danger before he can become a real boy.

Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, and the need for this sort of safety education, which not only presents messages very clearly, but actually grabs - and retains - busy children's attention, will be paramount for many years to come.

ChucheQhalin is being taken to schools and community groups in various parts of the country by No Strings' local partner there, OMAR, often using off-road eRanger cinema bikes, which have their own large screen, projector and generator.

Sri Lanka

A year on from the 2004 tsunami, children living on affected coastlines remained anxious and afraid of the sea. Many of them bereaved and traumatised, this anxiety added greatly to many of their troubles.

No Strings created an interactive film and live puppet programme which takes children on a journey to the bottom of the ocean to meet the Great Grandfather Whale, the oldest and wisest of creatures who could explain why the tsunami happened.

Understanding its cause, and equipped with information to recognise warning signs and how to get to safety, children felt empowered after watching the film, and less anxious about changes in weather patterns and other things they thought might cause a repeat disaster.