named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Drawing in Storytelling
Uses drawing as a complementary tool in storytelling sessions to help children express complex emotions and ideas, especially in post-conflict or refugee settings.
Mask-Making Workshop
Engages children in Haiti in crafting masks as part of a cultural and therapeutic arts program integrated with storytelling.
Storytelling Manual Distribution
Provides schools and community groups with a structured storytelling guide to implement play-based learning and cultural education outside formal curricula.
Storytelling Program
Facilitates storytelling workshops for vulnerable children to promote emotional healing, cultural preservation, and creative expression; trains local educators and partners to sustain the program.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Creative Arts Therapy Programs 2 activities
- Deliver play-based learning and healing programs for vulnerable childrenProvides structured play-based learning activities—including games, song, dance, organized sports, storytelling, mask-making, and artistic expression—to support the cognitive, emotional, and social development of vulnerable children in communities affected by war, displacement, natural disaster, or poverty. These programs reach thousands of children across more than a dozen countries, with documented participation of over 6,000 children globally.
- Implement storytelling programs to support trauma healing and educationOperates storytelling initiatives in multiple countries—including Northern Uganda, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Peru, and Pakistan—that use narrative as a tool for emotional healing, personal expression, and alternative education, particularly for vulnerable children such as those in refugee settlements, affected by HIV/AIDS, or at risk of child marriage. Programs include structured sessions that incorporate rituals like roll call and self-applause, and integrate drawing to aid comprehension and emotional processing.
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Vocational Sewing and Tailoring Training 1 activity
- Conduct mask-making workshops in Haiti to promote cultural preservation and gender inclusionRuns ongoing mask-making workshops in Jacmel, Haiti, teaching children and young adults—particularly girls—a traditional art form using everyday materials. The program supports cultural continuity, economic opportunity, and gender equity by training girls to become Haiti’s first female mask-makers in a historically male-dominated practice, with documented workshops engaging over 200 children.
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Storytelling and Literacy Resource Development 1 activity
- Develop and distribute educational resources for storytelling facilitatorsCreates and shares a Storytelling Manual that provides practical techniques for using storytelling to enhance children’s imagination, communication, and creativity. Also provides recording guidelines to partners for documenting and evaluating sessions, supporting consistent implementation across global partner networks.
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Ballet and Dance Education Programs 1 activity
- Facilitate creative expression through song, dance, and performanceOrganizes song and dance programs in Kenya, Sri Lanka, and other regions to foster children's creativity, agency, and confidence. Activities include spontaneous performances, adaptation of traditional dances with modern music, community public performances, and leadership opportunities where children—especially girls—lead rehearsals and choreography.
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Community-Based Educational Programming 1 activity
- Provide free education and basic needs within program settingsOffers free educational access to children in its programs, including snacks and refreshments, ensuring no barriers to participation. Classes are open to all without restriction, supporting holistic engagement in learning and play.
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Indigenous and Diaspora Cultural Preservation 1 activity
- Support cultural conservation of indigenous play traditionsPartners with local practitioners and filmmakers in India, Peru, and Sri Lanka to document and revitalize indigenous games, storytelling methods, and dance practices. These efforts aim to preserve cultural heritage and promote cross-cultural understanding by integrating traditional forms into children’s programming.
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Youth & Emerging Filmmaker Training 1 activity
- Teach videography and media skills to children for self-expressionTrains children in Kenya in videography and filmmaking, providing equipment and instruction so they can document and share their personal stories. This initiative supports long-term creative capacity by leaving behind tools for continued use.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$63K
Contributions & grants$63K100%
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$64K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$2K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$2K
2 years on record · 2023–2024 · YoY revenue -11.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 2
- CAROLINE MILLER — BOARD MEMBER
- JOHN WATSON — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 22
Who they work with
- ANOPA Project Partner — Partner organization in Ghana that supports CPI's storytelling initiatives for visually impaired learners.
- Didier Civil Partner — Collaborates with acclaimed Haitian artist Didier Civil to conduct mask-making workshops for children in Haiti.
- Didier’s mask-making workshop Partner — Partners with Didier’s mask-making workshop in Haiti to integrate dance and role-playing into carnival preparations for children.
- Didier’s mask-making workshop Partner — Supported by ChildsPlay International in Jacmel, Haiti, to promote cultural conservation and gender inclusion.
- Dr. Caroline Beauregard Partner — Dr. Caroline Beauregard, an art therapist and CPI Advisory Board member, collaborates with CPI on storytelling and therapeutic practices for refugee children.
- Dr. Jean-Elie Gilles Partner — CPI’s Storytelling Advisor who conducts storytelling sessions with children in Haiti.
- Dr. Jean-Elie Gilles Partner — Dr. Jean-Elie Gilles, involved in Haiti’s artistic and intellectual life, joined CPI’s Advisory Board to support its programs in Haiti.
- Gloria Ochola Partner — CPI storytelling partner in Kanya, Kenya who has developed and expanded the program at Mikei Primary School
- HAF-Uganda Partner — Partner organization co-facilitating storytelling sessions with displaced children in Northern Uganda
- HAF-Uganda Partner — Partner organization in Uganda that collaborates with CPI on storytelling programs promoting peaceful coexistence among children.
- Harvard School of Education Partner — Collaborates with Mara Krechevsky from Harvard School of Education, who joined CPI's Advisory Board.
- Huma Jalwat Partner — Partnered to deliver storytelling and art education to formerly homeless children in Peshawar, Pakistan.
- Malaika School Partner — Partner institution in the Democratic Republic of Congo using CPI’s storytelling program to bridge generational and tribal gaps
- Malaika, The DRC Partner — Partner organization where teacher Rebecca Kabuya Mbayo supports CPI's storytelling book as a healing and educational tool.
- Nanda Waninaika Partner — Partnered in Sri Lanka to reintroduce children to play, creative activities, and games through CPI’s programs.
- Nanda Waninaika Partner — Partnered with CPI in Sri Lanka to reintroduce children to play, creative activities, and games through a local school and multidisciplinary collective.
- Richard Salunoka Partner — CPI partner in Zambia implementing and expanding the storytelling program nationally.
- Somi Roy Partner — Collaborated on a cultural conservation initiative to document indigenous games in Manipur, India.
- Somi Roy Partner — Collaborated with CPI to document indigenous games in Manipur, India as part of a cultural conservation initiative.
- UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network Partner — Collaborates with UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network in Jacmel, Haiti, to support traditional dance and cultural expression among children.
- Youth Sports Uganda Partner — Partner organization launching CPI's storytelling program in Kampala, Uganda
- groups that have similar objectives Partner — Collaborates with organizations sharing comparable goals to host storytelling events for children.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Led Cultural Preservation Through Playmethodology: community_led_cultural_preservationBy training local apprentices and partnering with community organizations, the organization ensures sustainable cultural transmission because locally rooted facilitators are best positioned to adapt traditional practices like storytelling, dance, and mask-making to contemporary contexts through play.
- Culture-Connected Storytelling for Identity and Healingmethodology: culture_connected_storytellingBy integrating storytelling with cultural heritage, especially through intergenerational and creative expression, the organization empowers children to connect with their identity, heal from trauma, and reinterpret traditions because narrative provides both emotional safety and cultural continuity.
- Play-Based Learning for Holistic Child Developmentmethodology: play_based_learningBy using play as a foundational educational method, the organization fosters cognitive, emotional, physical, and social development in children because play naturally integrates exploration, creativity, and interpersonal engagement, supporting resilience and self-expression.