uruguay: a website for children

what happened?

Friends of the Earth Uruguay / REDES developed a pilot website for children, aiming to raise their awareness of environmental and social justice issues and to inspire them to take action.

The website is attractively designed, colorful, and presents information in language accessible to children. It has video and audio sections.

While building the site, FoE Uruguay prioritized issues of greatest interest for children and teachers, and also took into account the school curricula of Latin American countries.

The site has sections on topics such as energy, pollution, food, the soil and ecosystems. It also has a dictionary of environmental issues, fun facts and stories. Information produced by FoEI programs and campaigns is adapted to suit the interests and needs of children and teenagers. The stories section includes fiction by well-known Latin American writers. Children are invited to send in their own pictures for publication in the drawings section.

The news section is updated daily and the topic pages once a week, allowing children and teachers to access up-to-date information. The site also contains information and resources for teachers.

what changed?

The website has been well received by its target audience. It has become an important and valued source of tailored information for teachers.

FoE Uruguay receives many letters, asking for further information or references on specific issues, or just to express congratulations and support.

The site helps to make links between young people from different countries, and has great potential to promote and support campaign actions all over the Spanish-speaking world.

what next?

FoE International plans to build an English-language children’s website in the near future. This will not be a simple translation of the Spanish site, but will contain new content designed to suit the diverse cultures, histories and realities of the different English speaking countries.