A history of child safety success

By Chrissy Sykes

In Loving Memory of Kimberley Carlile

May your story continue to inspire change, protect the vulnerable, and remind us all of the importance of listening, caring, and taking action.Your life, though short, has helped light the way for millions of children around the world.

Some moments in life leave an imprint on your heart, shaping your path in ways you never expected. For me, that moment came in June 1986, when I was on a stopover in London on my way to the United States.

At the time, I was a South African country singer-songwriter and recording artist. I had just been invited to Nashville by the legendary producer Pete Drake, a dream opportunity for any musician. But while in London, I kept seeing the heartbreaking story of a little girl named Kimberley Carlile in the newspapers. She was just four years old—just like my own daughter at the time—when her short life was tragically ended by abuse. Kimberley endured severe abuse at the hands of her stepfather, Nigel Hall, and her mother, who subjected her to starvation and physical violence. She weighed only 24 lbs (about 11KG at the time of her death). Despite prior involvement from social services and healthcare professionals, critical opportunities to intervene and safeguard Kimberley were missed. An inquiry into Kimberley’s death revealed that her passing was preventable.

I remember feeling overwhelmed with sorrow and helplessness. How could something so awful happen to an innocent child? As I boarded my flight to the U.S., the words and melody of a song poured out of me. By the time I landed, Kimberley had been written. It was my way of honouring her, of giving a voice to children who suffered in silence. But at that moment, I had no idea where this song would take me.

A Chance Meeting in Texas

Fast forward to 1989. I was in Texas at a dinner party when the hostess, knowing I was a singer, asked me to play a song. I hesitated, then sat at the piano and played Kimberley for the first time in front of others.

Unbeknownst to me, one of the guests was the President of the Texas Child Welfare Board—a man who was deeply moved by the song. He asked if it could be used to raise awareness and funds for child abuse prevention. Of course, I said yes.

That year, during Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Texas Child Welfare Board sold 14,000 records and tapes of the song, raising $70,000 for child protection efforts.
Speaking to Large Audiences for the First Time

As part of the campaign, I was invited to tour across Texas to introduce Kimberley and talk to people about child abuse prevention. I was a singer, not a child protection professional, and I had no experience speaking in front of large audiences.
On my first day, I went to a school and spoke in front of 500 children, feeling completely out of my depth. But the next event was even more overwhelming—over 2,000 students at a high school!

I was nervous, but I spoke from the heart. What happened next was unexpected and deeply moving—children started opening up. After each talk, about 15% of the children came forward to disclose abuse they had never told anyone about before.
That experience changed me forever. I realised that music was a powerful tool to open up conversations about safety and empowerment.

I suggested to the teams at the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that we develop a music-based programme, as it was clear that music was the key to truly connecting with the children. I asked them, “If you could include everything a child needs to know about staying safe, what would it be?” Their insights were invaluable, and over the next few months, I poured my heart into writing and shaping what would soon become the My Body Is My Body programme—a programme designed to empower children in a way that was engaging, memorable, and most importantly, effective.

I moved to Tennessee and the Program was referred to the Nashville Coalition On Child Abuse and Neglect by the Department of Human Services and the project became the Coalition’s first Major undertaking.

A research study published in the Journal of Music Therapy which involved children showed that music, and typically group singing activities like the “My Body Is My Body” program found an increase in trust and group cohesiveness and cooperation. In addition, singing and developing music skills
( like learning new songs) relate to increasing a more positive self-concept and development of self-esteem - helping kids feel better about themselves.

The Coalition felt that this program is a valuable instrument in Child Abuse Prevention and that it can truly make a valuable contribution, not only for child abuse awareness but even more importantly, child abuse prevention, allowing the rare opportunity to make a significant impact in causing a reduction of the number of children being victimised. A problem that up to now has seen a steady increase.

Our mission is to empower children

In a 5 year period I presented the program to over 350,000 children in Texas, Tennessee, Florida and Virginia, working with Schools, PTAs, Department of Human Services and Department of Education."

An Eye-Opening Conversation
One of the most profound moments in my journey came during a visit to the Tennessee State Prison, where I had the chance to ask some inmates a chilling but important question:
“What would you do if a child said NO to you?”
Their response? “We would look for another child who did not say no.”

That moment reinforced the most important message of the programme: We must educate as many children as possible to say NO!

A Global Movement
Today, My Body Is My Body is being used in over 63 countries, and more than 2.7 million children have been taught the programme. It’s making a real impact in communities worldwide, and I am deeply humbled by the dedication of so many people who have embraced it.

Now, with the incredible support of Rotary International, our 370 Ambassadors and Worldwide Partners, the programme is reaching even greater heights. Rotary Clubs and our Ambassadors around the world are bringing MBIMB into schools and communities, helping to empower children, educate teachers, and create safer environments for future generations.

This journey has been one I never could have planned, but I truly believe that some paths are meant to find us. If it was not for the invitation from Pete Drake, none of this would ever have hapenned. 
I am endlessly grateful to everyone who has helped make My Body Is My Body what it is today.

Together, we can continue to make a difference. Together, we can build a world safe for every child.