Chinook Centre chalkboard aims to bring awareness to children's educational barriers

Children Believe's charitable campaign, called Chalkboards for Change, supports and raises awareness about children's education.

Calgary — If you have a dream, write it down with chalk.

Close to a dozen people were in attendance to help launch an installation of a giant chalkboard at Chinook Centre Wednesday morning.

From Wednesday to Friday, Children Believe will bring awareness of the lack of education that affects millions of children worldwide with an enormous chalkboard — a symbol for education.

The charity organization’s campaign, called Chalkboards for Change, supports and raises awareness about children’s education.

Calgarians are encouraged to participate by picking up a piece of chalk and writing down their childhood dreams to help inspire positive action to help children receive some sort of education.

"We work also with basic necessities such as water and health because those are some of the barriers in those villages," said Aki Temiseva, chief fundraising/development/marketing officer for Children Believe.

A chalkboard will be on display at Chinook Mall until Friday as part if Children Believe's Chalkboards for Change campaign.

Temiseva said it's about giving these children the tools they need to create their own futures and dreams.

"It’s not about sending aid, it’s about making them believe that if they believe in their dreams and they have access to education, the combination of those two things is going to make a change."

At least 260 million children worldwide who don’t attend a school will have many obstacles in the way of their dreams of a better future.

Over the last 60 years the charity has helped more than one million children from around the world conquer educational barriers and helped children realize how powerful dreams may be.

If you’d like to share your childhood dream, help out or donate, visit the charity’s website for more information.