Mayo Children's Initiative

A Mayo child's wish for Christmas .....

Mayo Children’s Initiative (MCI) is celebrating children this Christmas by showcasing their wishes and hopes for one another in shop windows in Castlebar, Ballina, Ballinrobe and Belmullet.

Displays of red and green cut-outs of children’s hands with heartfelt hand written wishes were unveiled on December 10th, International Human Rights Day.

The Children’s Wishes project celebrates the rights of all children in the county to a safe, happy and loving childhood.

Mayo Children’s Initiative (MCI) is working to improve the lives of children in Mayo who are living with domestic violence. It is the only child-focused domestic violence project in the country. Its work is based on the belief that all children have the right to be free from violence or conflict.

“Most children have great lives and grow up confident and happy,” said Helen Mortimer, MCI Manager. “Together with children, we’re celebrating the right of all children to a safe, happy and love-filled childhood.”

“However, some children live in homes with violence and conflict. Exposure to this can have a lifelong impact on them and often means that their childhood is robbed. We want all children to experience the wishes that the children themselves have expressed.”

Many schools participated in the project including Knockanillo and Behy National Schools and St. Nicholas Special School, Ballina; Bangor Erris and Doohoma National Schools; Manulla and Scoil Raifteirí National Schools and St. Joseph’s National School Ballinrobe.