National Baby Show to be held in June

Planning is currently underway for the National Baby Show, to be held on the 21st of June this year. The show is organized by the Child Welfare Association, stationed in Rarotonga, and is to “raise awareness and encourage good health for children within the Cook Islands.”
In the days leading up to the show, a five day workshop will be held from the 13th – 17th of June. Members of the Child Welfare from Outer islands will be attending these workshops, and this is to discuss the welfare of the children in both Rarotonga and the Outer islands, and to come up with ideas on how to improve health stability within the islands.
The show is usually held every two years. However, last year the show was unable to go ahead as the Community Health Clinics within Rarotonga were unable to secure funding. This means that the National Baby Show hasn’t be held since 2008, and will be funded this year by Aid Management and Internal Affairs.
The show will be judged by members of the Health Department, and roughly twenty children, ages 0-3 years will be competing. The children are judged on things like their hair, skin, teeth, and overall health. The children that will be competing are the first-place winners of the health competitions that have already been held within their villages. Children from the Southern group of islands will also be flying to Rarotonga to compete, and members of the Child Welfare Association are hoping that children from Northern islands will also be able to attend.
The venue for the show is not yet confirmed, but they are hoping to hold it at the CICC Sinai Hall in town. Prizes for the winners will be sponsored by local businesses within Rarotonga, and will in include trophies and other presents.
Much work has gone into child welfare within the Cook Islands, not just from the Association, but also from those who have helped to build clinics within the villages and work daily to watch the children. Many of the clinics around Rarotonga have received no government funding or grants, either to build the clinics, or to keep the clinics running. This is done by money that has been fundraised, through events such as raffles and bingo. The clinic in Matavera was built and is maintained entirely on money raised within the community, with no help from government funding whatsoever.
The Child Welfare Association also receives no grants or funding from Government and is a voluntary committee. The only money the association receives is from the fee that clinics have to pay to be a part of the group. Child Welfare is extremely excited that they have secured funding to hold the show this year, as they believe it is “very important for both the community and the Cook Islands.”

By Piakura Tiraa-Passfield

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