Child poverty in New Zealand is a little-known problem. And yet, 157, 000 Kiwi children are living in material hardship.
A giant child sculpture by Droga5 ANZ is making the invisible visible for New Zealand children’s charity, KidsCan.
Boy Walking wears a KidsCan jacket and shoes to keeping him warm and dry, and shows the struggle faced by children who go without the basics every day. Droga5 ANZ led the creative development of the initiative, transforming a public artwork into a poignant symbol of childhood resilience. He was created by New Zealand-born and internationally acclaimed artist, Ronnie van Hout, stands 5.6 metres tall and depicts a child striding confidently through Potters Park. Van Hout describes the work as representing a confident young person in a moment of transition and movement – someone always learning and moving forward.
The striking installation will be live in Potters Park, Auckland until October 19, accompanied by PR coverage, outdoor, and social activity to drive nationwide awareness and donations. So far this year, the charity has provided over 38,000 pairs of shoes and 58,000 jackets to children around New Zealand – but the need keeps growing. Currently 58 schools are on the waitlist for support.
KidsCan Charitable Trust is grateful to Boy Walking artist, Ronnie Van Hout, and Auckland Council for supporting the initiative.
Julie Chapman, KidsCan CEO and founder, stated, “Boy Walking is a symbol of resilience and hope. By dressing him in KidsCan clothing, we want to remind New Zealanders that too many children are still missing out on the essentials most of us take for granted. A small monthly donation can make a huge difference – helping us reach more kids who need our support.”
Damon Stapleton, chief creative officer, Droga5 ANZ, added, “Boy Walking has always captured public attention. Now, dressed in a KidsCan jacket and shoes, he’s walking on behalf of the thousands of children who face hardship daily. His size reflects the scale of the issue, making it impossible to ignore.”
Credits:
Client: KidsCan
CEO & Founder: Julie Chapman
Chief Operating Officer: Lisa Andrews
Individual Giving Marketing Manager: Leigh Jeffs
Media and Communications Manager: Laura King
Creative Agency: Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song
NZ Lead of Accenture Song, CEO of Droga5 Aotearoa: Storm Day
Chief Creative Officer: Damon Stapleton & Barbara Humphries
Executive Creative Director: Christie Cooper & James Conner
Senior Art Director: Erin Clarke
Senior Copywriter: Kat Menary
GM & Executive Producer: Rosie Grayson
Integrated Producer: Callum Crabb
Design Lead: Lucinda Fortescue-Hansen
Group Business Director: James Allan
Media Agency: OMD
Head of Planning: Chrissy Payne
Account Manager: Andy Vernon
Production Company: The Supreme Group
Design, full production & installation of Boy Walking
Production Company: The Post Office
Content & OOH Imagery
