Shift is a campaign accelerator that gives young people in Myanmar the skills, tools and network to shift the dial on the issues that matter to them.
Did you know that almost half of Myanmar’s population is 25 and under? 46% to be exact.
They must and will be heard.
They need your help to create more youth-led change in Myanmar. Send an email to Andy at andy.nilsen@savethechildren.org
How does Shift work?
We GATHER a group of passionate youth with a vision for a better future.
CO-CREATE their dreams in a fun 3-day workshop that finds ways to address an issue.
We CONNECT them with an agency partner to realise their vision.
The youth DECIDE the solution, together we MAKE IT HAPPEN and MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Shift amplifies young people’s voices.
Student-led group, Air Quality Yangon, launched its first awareness campaign about air pollution.
With the help of creative agency, Bridge, we co-created a new branding, Facebook content, and provided practical tools they can use to continue their cause. The youth group’s technical expertise on the topic was elevated by the marketing expertise of their creative agency partner. We made science more digestible, more approachable.
"Know What You Breathe” is a two-part educational campaign to provide science-backed information of the man-made causes, harmful effects of air pollution and how we can solve it using an adorable white fluffy bear called, Dr. Air Bear.
A total PR value of 51,439,000 million Kyats (approx. 34,000 USD) was generated in two months. Their campaign has been covered by 45 news outlets such as MRTV-4, Myanmar Times, Mandalay FM Radio and many more.
Air Quality Yangon has received invitations to share knowledge about air pollution at Turning Tables' Voices of Youth, Dagon University, Kokkaya Organics, and Learning Together Platform. They have established themselves as a trusted source on this topic.
They were invited by Search for Common Ground to inspire a group of youth from Rakhine on how to start a campaign.
On February 11, 2020, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology finally released their air quality data to the public. They have also welcomed the efforts of Air Quality Yangon.
Air Quality Yangon continues to provide bi-daily Air Quality Index to the public, sharing knowledge, fundraising for their children's book about air pollution and has recently reached out to TV stations to make their data available on every weather forecast.
Shift enables the youth to shape their own city.
Young City Shapers is a youth group that started as individual active volunteers at Doh Eain. The team is composed of 14 young people who are passionate about shaping Yangon into a more inclusive and sustainable city.
Under the mentorship of Doh Eain, the team was able to engage and mobilize up to 500 residents in Tamwe to re-use the waste from the neighborhood and create outdoor furniture and decoration for the resident’s public space.
Along with on-ground placemaking activities, they also launched the “Plastic time-off” online challenge to create awareness of saying no to single-use plastic. The #plastictimeoff challenge has a social media reach of 1,967,881 people.
A total PR value of 22,003,700 million kyats (approx. 14,600 USD) was generated in two months. Their campaign has been covered by 16 news outlets, including government-owned Myawaddy and City News.
This project is supported by 3 government officials from YCDC and GAD. The government helped mobilize the community in Tamwe to attend meetings and activities, created a youth committee dedicated to maintain the public space and, gave a speech at the screening day on the importance of reducing waste as a community.
Knowledge and practical solutions on how to reduce waste was shared through digital platforms and placemaking events.
In March 2020, a waste-free public space will be available for the residents of Tamwe and will be maintained by their elected youth committee with support from their local government.
It will be more than just a public space – it will serve as a reminder to the residents that when you work as a community, there is a sense of shared responsibility in maintaining the beauty that you have co-created.
It will inspire neighboring streets to see the value of reducing waste and the possibility of what we can all do if we work with each other.
The Young City Shapers continue to meet regularly and share their passion for creating a more inclusive and sustainable Yangon, advocating for better waste habits everywhere they go.
Shift empowers young people to lead.
The Colorful Girls, a diverse young group of girls from Mandalay villages who studied under the Girl Determined's program, a girl-centered, strengths-based curriculum.
With the help of creative agency, Bridge, and non-profit, Girl Determined, we co-created an on-ground movement to create a safer world for girls through an empowering song that speaks the real truth about the emotional, physical and mental effects of street harassment on girls.
We co-created a campaign that reflects the girl’s diversity and a fresh, positive approach in tackling harassment.
We provided practical tools and useful technology for the girls to continue engaging more people in their own villages.
Since the girls had no experience campaigning, we developed a simple “How to campaign” guide that is specially written to meet their needs. We equipped them with the tools and knowledge to create change while also protecting themselves from negative attacks.
The simple tools, pratical trainings and heartfelt support from experts empowered the girls to lead the movement in creating a safer environment for all girls.
With their new-found courage, they have been able to speak with community leaders, monks, elders, boys and other girls to join the conversation and be a better ally to all girls.
Fully equipped with easy to use tools, the Colorful Girls are continuing to campaign for a safer world for all girls. They will visit other villages, creating more allies and educating more people in Mandalay.
The last phase of their campaign will be identifying “Safe Spaces” with the help of Girl Determined’s existing project on mapping out where it’s safe for girls in Mandalay villages. “Safe Spaces” are thoroughly screened, updated and serve to identify locations that are safe haven for girls who feel need refuge.
The “Colorful Strength” campaign has been strategically interwoven with other on-going projects and core beliefs of Girl Determined to ensure its effectiveness and sustainability.
Ready to be part of the Shift movement? Let’s talk.
Email Andy at andy.nilsen@savethechildren.org
Shift is a project by Save the Children with creative partner, Bridge.
