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Last Updated: Friday June 17 2005 07:22 GMT

I'm sending my friend to school

Singer Rachel Stevens and Claire at the Send My Friend To School art event
Singer Rachel Stevens and Claire at the Send My Friend To School art event
Singer Rachel Stevens opened a piece of art, sending a message to world leaders to give every child an education.

Danish artist Olafur Eliasson's work is made from 150,000 paper figures, cut out and decorated by UK school children. Each one stands for one of 100 million children who are too poor to go to school.

The cut-outs, or buddies, form part of Yellow Sunlight 2005 at London's Oxo Tower until 19 June. They will then be sent to eight of the world's most powerful leaders, called the G8.

Claire went along to the opening to join in the Send My Friend To School campaign.

"In the Oxo Tower there is a big picture of some children who can't go to school. They're doing jobs like farming and picking coffee.

They have to work so hard in the boiling heat. They can't afford to go to school because they have to make money to feed their families. I felt really sorry for them.

There are 100 million children like this and we want to tell the UK government and other world leaders to give them an education.

If I were a world leader I'd ask the big shops and companies in all the rich countries to use some money their each month to stop poverty.

I met Rachel Stevens

I was amazing to see Rachel Stevens. I've never met a celebrity before in my life. And she was standing right behind me!

Field full of buddies

We went inside the dome to see the artwork by Olafur Eliasson. I was amazed when I saw it.

It was a field full of buddies. They were everywhere. It was really powerful.

Yellow Sunlight 2005 by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson consists of a white spotlight moving slowly over 15,000 buddies, highlighting clusters of paper people. (Picture: Action Aid)
Yellow Sunlight 2005 by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson
Children from all over the country made the buddies for this piece if art, called Yellow Sunlight 2005.

We also listened to a short talk about how Send My Friend To School is part of the Make Poverty History campaign.

Then, all the children were given light blue T-shirts and a Send My Friend To School sticker.

Sad face

I first learned about Send My Friend To School in my class.

We watched a video and then made some buddies. We also had an assembly about it.

I used a template to cut out the shape of my buddy and then added tiny hair braids and a dress.

Claire at the opening of the Send My Friend To School art event
I wrote a message on the back for the world leaders:

'I hope that all the buddies will send children to school.'

Another of the buddies I'm holding has a sad face because he can't go to school.

I'd miss my friends

If I couldn't go to school I'd be upset. I'd miss subjects like Art and History and I'd miss my friends."

Claire, 10, London


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