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Child Malnutrition in Yemen: Hope Among the Conflict

Child Malnutrition in Yemen
The Middle Eastern nation of Yemen has been plagued by eight years of devastating conflict disproportionately affecting its children. The Yemeni conflict remains one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with more than 11 million children in need of humanitarian assistance. Child malnutrition in Yemen, alongside food insecurity and hunger, has reached alarming levels in the heart of this turmoil. Xavier Joubert, Save the Children’s Country Director for Yemen, underscores the harsh reality facing Yemeni children:

“Hunger in Yemen is an entirely human-made legacy of this war, and the increase in child malnutrition levels around conflict lines shows the impact of this brutal conflict on children.”

Despite the ongoing conflict, hope is emerging from the efforts of numerous organizations. This article sheds light on the dire challenges these children face daily while highlighting the unwavering dedication of organizations working to mitigate their suffering. 

The Impact

Amidst Yemen’s enduring conflict, the crisis affecting its children has reached catastrophic proportions. This nation is grappling with one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, where more than 11 million children are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Child malnutrition in Yemen has surged to alarming levels, with nearly 2.2 million children under the age of five in Yemen acutely malnourished, and more than 500,000 facing severe malnutrition. 

The repercussions of this crisis on Yemen’s children are profound and enduring. Malnutrition not only jeopardizes their immediate well-being but also their long-term growth and cognitive abilities. The compounding effect of malnutrition and the ongoing conflict leaves so many children without access to essential health care, clean water and adequate sanitation. This is further exacerbated by the scarcity of essential food items and the destruction of critical infrastructure. Yemen’s children are carrying the heaviest burden amid the ongoing conflict, and the repercussions on their health and future are immeasurable.

Working for Change

Amidst the seemingly bleak landscape, various organizations have stepped forward to combat the malnutrition epidemic to alleviate the suffering occurring within this nation. The organization War Child is a prime example of the life-changing work occurring to improve these children’s lives. War Child has been tirelessly working to provide access to healthcare, clean water and nutritional support to children in need. UNICEF is also a notable organization instrumental in providing health care, education and nutrition support to the vulnerable young children in Yemen. Continued is their unwavering efforts to save young lives and build a better and sustainable future. 

Stories of Hope

Despite the immense challenges and continued conflict within Yemen, stories of hope and resilience are emerging. Children who have received critical support from these organizations are on their way to recovery. Their strength and the unwavering commitment of these organizations showcase the resilience of the human spirit, even in the face of the harshest circumstances. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has played a crucial role in this effort. WHO has trained almost 400 health workers on managing medical complications in children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. To increase families’ awareness and knowledge of basic nutritional and preventive health requirements for children, as well as to promote the importance of the continuity of breastfeeding, WHO trained 1,277 community health and nutrition volunteers and midwives. These trained individuals communicate key health and nutrition messages to the most affected vulnerable communities in 28 districts. 

In addition to this, WHO has developed awareness messages for TV and radio, ensuring that these important messages reach a wider audience. It has also engaged communities through various platforms, including religious, youth and women’s groups. These comprehensive efforts are making a tangible difference in the lives of Yemen’s children — offering them hope and the prospect of a brighter and healthier future. 

Moving Forward

While child malnutrition in Yemen remains a pressing issue, and the ongoing conflict only exacerbates the situation, the dedicated efforts of organizations working in Yemen provide a glimmer of hope. With continued support and awareness, there exists a possibility for positive change in the lives of Yemen’s children. The world must remain engaged in addressing this crisis, as the future of Yemen’s children depends on it. Together, we can make a difference and bring hope to a nation facing immense challenges.

– Phoebe Abrahams
Photo: Flickr

5 Charities in the Central African Republic

Charities in the Central African RepublicPoverty in the Central African Republic is an ongoing problem showing few signs of improvement. Despite being abundant in natural resources, the nation is one of the poorest and most economically fragile countries in the world. As of 2022, approximately 71% of the population is living below the international poverty line, surviving on less than $2.15 a day. Still, several charities are working to address poverty in the CAR.

5 Charities in the Central African Republic

  1. Concern – Operating in the CAR since March 2014, Concern aims to build community resilience by taking integrated approaches to alleviate the suffering of conflict-affected communities. By focusing on the drivers of poverty such as health and nutrition, sanitation, food security and gender equality, Concern has seen major success in its integrated programs. In 2021, the organization reached 152,000 people with its initiatives. In 2022, Concern focused its efforts on alleviating violence against women and improving literacy rates.
  2. War Child – War Child is a charity that has been operating in the Central African Republic since 2014. Its most notable work has been with conflict-affected children and their families, supporting the reintegration of 15,500 children from the armed forces back into their communities. The organization’s focus on improving the lives of children most affected by conflict has extended to programs that provide child-friendly spaces, the promotion of peace-building through child-led advocacy and working with schools to build child protection committees.
  3. Islamic Relief – Islamic Relief came to the Central African Republic in 2014 with the goal of providing emergency aid and psychosocial care. The organization carries out its mission by developing child-friendly spaces in the nation’s capital for roughly 8,000 children in partnership with War Child and Enfants Sans Frontiers (ESF). Islamic Relief’s interfaith project has supported community cohesion for more than 4,000 people. In addition, faith leaders work together to secure the bright future of their communities by rebuilding the livelihoods of those lost to violence.
  4. World Food Programme (WFP) – The WFP helps communities meet their basic nutritional needs by distributing food or cash while working alongside schools to improve children’s nutrition and school attendance in areas facing food insecurity. The WFP also works to reintegrate people back into their communities.
  5. International Rescue Committee (IRC) – The IRC has been operating in the Central African Republic since 2006 and focuses on providing medical care, water and sanitation services. Moreover, the organization is also focused on protecting the most vulnerable people in society. There are multiple facets to IRC’s recovery plan in the Central African Republic. Most importantly they focus on the safety and well-being of high-risk communities while providing sanitation assistance and education initiatives.

Overall, the work of these five organizations has been integral in the elevation of underprivileged communities plagued by food and health crises, civil war and poor literacy rates.

– Namra Tahir
Photo: Flickr

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Sam Smith Supports War Child

War Child
Two filmmakers founded War Child in 1993 after observing the violence that children endured during periods of war. The organization describes itself as “the only specialist charity for children affected by conflict.” With the slogan, “A world where no child’s life is torn apart by war,” War Child works to address the realities children face during war and provide them with prompt support, safety and coping mechanisms. The organization shows children from Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic that there is more to life than the destructive nature of war.

War Child’s Work

Since the traumatic impacts of conflict and violence on children, War Child takes an approach to help children through four key areas: protection, education, livelihoods and advocacy. Armed groups tear children from their families through false promises of education or money while abducting others. This can leave these children with severe and lifelong psychological problems. The organization’s support includes “setting up children’s helplines,” strengthening child justice systems, “rehabilitating and reintegrating former child soldiers” as well as reuniting children with parents.

More than 75 million children ages 3 to 18 are not in school in 35 countries experiencing war. War Child aims to address this problem in multiple ways, including providing children with early childhood education programs and initiating Education in Emergencies initiatives. The organization also provides teachers with training to best support learners in conflict-ridden environments. By incorporating play into learning programs, the organization attempts to remedy trauma. These initiatives give children a sense of normalcy during a period of time in their lives where chaos surrounds them.

The organization also recognizes the need to provide children with humanitarian aid to address their basic human needs. The organization provides cash assistance to communities for people to use according to “their own priorities and preferences.” To strengthen economic resilience, the organization assists people in securing employment or establishing businesses “by providing them with technical, business and life skills, establishing group-based saving schemes and providing small grants making the best out of existing market opportunities. ”

In many crisis-prone countries, agriculture plays an important role. As such, War Child created Peace Gardens. Peace Gardens allow children to develop agricultural skills while increasing food security as crop produce can provide nutritious school meals for children.

Sam Smith’s Role in War Child

Sam Smith’s global impact extends far beyond his role as a singer-songwriter. Smith became War Child’s Global Ambassador in 2017 after conversing with a child in Jordan who, as Smith put it, “said something that will stay with me forever.”

Smith subsequently took to his social media pages, urging his fans to support War Child. For his 26th birthday, in 2018, Smith asked that his friends, family and fans make donations to War Child instead of buying him birthday gifts. After releasing his hit single “Too Good at Goodbyes,” in 2020, he launched a four-city mini-concert tour, with all profits from the ticket sales going toward supporting War Child.

War ravages land and people, however, children face disproportionate impacts of war. Through the efforts of War Child, children living in conflict-riddled lands can look toward a brighter tomorrow.

– Nia Hinson
Photo: PxHere

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Three Charities Supported by Mumford & Sons

Charities supported by Mumford & SonsFormed in  2007, Mumford & Sons is a Grammy-nominated, British folk-rock band. Mumford & Sons members include Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane. The band’s songs including “Little Lion Man,” “I Will Wait,” and “Believe” have an international following. However, beyond the music, with the goal of making a difference to the world, Mumford & Sons supports an array of charities.  Below are overviews of three charities supported by Mumford & Sons and its philanthropy, The Gentlemen of the Road Fund.

What is The Gentlemen of the Road Fund?

In 2016, Mumford & Sons and Adam Tudhope, its manager, founded the Gentlemen of the Road Fund (GOTR). For every album cycle, the GOTR supports urgent needs in the cities in which the band performs. Also, the GOTR also selects to contribute to other local and global charities.

Here is an overview of three charities supported by Mumford & Sons:

War Child UK

War Child UK is a non-governmental organization that operates in Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Because war affects each of these countries, the goal of War Child is to reach children as quickly as possible when conflict breaks out. Specifically, the organization focuses on the protection, education, advocacy and livelihoods of children. It demands that children are the focus of humanitarian responses.

In 2020, the organization reached 171,992 people, 73% of whom were children. Over the past 25 years, War Child has frequently partnered with musicians and labels within the music industry to record albums and produce concerts. The money and awareness raised from these events allow War Child to bring aid to children living in conflict zones.

According to Rob Williams, the CEO of War Child, Mumford & Sons has supported the organization since 2013. He noted that together, they have raised over $5 million. That funding has helped more than 50,000 children forced to live in countries brutalized by war. Also, Mumford & Sons aided War Child in launching its sister organization, Children in Conflict which is located in the United States.

Deering Banjo Company

In 1975, the Deering Banjo Company began as a San Diego family business building banjos by hand. Today it has provided banjos to over 100,000 musicians including Ashley Campbell, Keith Urban and Winston Marshall, a former Mumford & Sons band member.

Although the company isn’t a charity itself, it has partnered with Mumford & Sons since January 2013 to create specialized banjos for a number of the band’s performances. The Deering banjos are then auctioned to benefit local charities supported by Mumford & Sons. Deering Banjo and Mumford & Sons have raised over $150,000 from 2013 through 2019 from banjo auctions.

For instance, in April 2019, Mumford & Sons performed a show in Lisbon, Portugal. The banjo made for that show sold for $1,524.28 and the money went to a charity called SOS Children’s Villages Portugal. This charity works to support children who have lost parents or who risk losing their parents. In the same month, the band performed in Milan, Italy, and the banjo for this particular show sold for $2,222. The proceeds went to Banco Alimentare, the food bank of Lombardy. The GOTR website shares 70 other examples of banjos sold for charity by Mumford & Sons.

Comic Relief

Comic Relief is another one of the many charities supported by Mumford & Sons. Started in the United Kingdom in the late 1980s, it produces Red Nose Day, a popular biennial event celebrated around the world. The Red Nose Day Campaign funds programs to eradicate poverty and to keep children safe, educated, healthy and empowered. It works by bringing people together with laughter while raising money for children in need. The popular image of the Red Nose acts as a way for those involved to show their support.

Comic Relief collects donations from Red Nose Day and provides grants to charities throughout the world. It takes two years to distribute the money raised from Red Nose Day events. That gives charities time to apply for grants and ensures that Comic Relief is funding worthy charities. On Red Nose Day in 2019, Mumford & Sons worked with actors Carey Mulligan and Richard Curtis to raise more than $250,000 for Comic Relief and Children in Conflict.

A Model for Support

These are only three of the many charities supported by Mumford & Sons. To learn more about the band’s impressive past and present efforts to help those in need, head to the GOTR website.

-Trystin Baker
Photo: Flickr

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Child Poverty in the Central African Republic

Child Poverty in the Central African Republic
Poverty is an issue the Central African Republic continues to face. In fact, around 71% of the Central African Republic’s population lives below the estimated international poverty line. In particular, child poverty in the Central African Republic is prevalent with an estimated half of the country’s population being under the age of 14. Many of these children are born into poverty, a situation they did not choose.

The Central African Republic is also one of the most impoverished nations in Africa; about 60% of the population lives in poverty. Some of the largest issues that children in the Central African Republic face are low enrollment in primary school, various armed conflicts and malnutrition. While these are significant burdens, there are several solutions that should drastically improve the situation of child poverty in the Central African Republic.

Low Enrollment for School

In countries experiencing poverty, schools can be a safe haven for many children. Not only do they offer a stable and caring environment, but they can also offer a lifeline to many children with hopes and dreams of leaving their situation. There are schools in the Central African Republic, such as the Youth Education Pack, that specifically teach trades and other professions to help young people obtain skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. Youth Education Pack receives funding from Education Cannot Wait, a fund that is working towards providing education during crises.

The Central African Republic enrollment is incredibly low, with only 62% of boys and around 41% of girls enrolled in primary school. This creates a significant gap, with many children already deep into poverty not going to school to progress. One cause of this problem is the various armed groups in the country. One of these is the People’s Army for the Restoration of Democracy, which frequently kidnaps children and forces them to fight.

While some attend school, the problems continue. Around 6% of high schoolers in the Central African Republic complete school. One solution would be to dedicate more resources to education. Through schooling, many children in poverty in the Central African Republic would be able to both learn and grow, while progressing in their education and moving from their current living conditions. After-school programs could be of great use and benefit as well, allowing children to have a safe space away from their home lives. Baha’i communities are an incredible example, where they have found multiple ways to prioritize and bring education to children who need it. There is a definitive aspiration by many to boost education in the Central African Republic and more success stories such as the one in Baha’i are inevitable.

Armed Conflict

Unfortunately, warring groups often recruit or kidnap many children of the Central African Republic to fight as soldiers. While many generally consider the use of children in warfare abhorrent, children are often incredibly susceptible to this. They are much easier to manipulate through coercion and threats of violence to themselves and their families. These children often become physically and mentally scarred by what they have seen and done.

An effective solution is to create more programs to help reintegrate former child soldiers. As stated before, many of these children need psychological help. By being able to discuss their trauma with professionals, they are able to process what happened to them and recover from the lasting effects. Other programs must emerge to make sure children do not even join said groups in the first place, educating them on what happens when they become child soldiers.

There are efforts already on the ground to help reduce child poverty in the Central African Republic. For example, War Child has been successful in helping former child soldiers of the Central African Republic, aiding around 7,947 children in 2018 alone. Another such organization is UNICEF, which has been reintegrating child soldiers for nearly 13 years after signing an agreement with the government as well as a rebel group known as the Assembly of the Union of Democratic Forces. While there is a great deal that needs to happen, there is hope for the children of the Central African Republic who the armed conflicts of the region personally affect.

Malnutrition

A significant problem amongst impoverished children in the Central African Republic is malnutrition. It is almost a residual effect of poverty itself and of the other problems that children face in the Central African Republic, mentioned above.

Around 38% of children in the Central African Republic are chronically malnourished and in need of serious care. This is parallel to the armed conflicts as well as the considerable rise in both food prices as well as shortages. In fact, around 45% of people in the country suffer from some level of food insecurity. These problems create a cycle where a lack of food resources for farming creates poverty and poverty itself creates more food shortages.

Luckily, many organizations, like the World Food Programme (WFP), are helping combat child malnutrition in the Central African Republic. WFP began the Central African Republic Interim Country Strategic Plan in 2018, a plan which aspires to help many children and at-risk families receive food daily. This can and will tremendously help combat the issue at hand and ensure that many children do not go hungry.

WFP’s efforts extend towards schools with its school feeding programs as well. These programs have both had positive effects on school attendance as well as the nutrition of many children. Malnutrition might be a definitive problem facing the Central African Republic, but much effort is going into making sure children receive the proper nutrients daily.

While the impoverished children in the Central African Republic seem to be in an incredibly tough spot physically, mentally and emotionally, there is a future for them. Many organizations have dedicated themselves to helping them. Moreover, the granting of awareness about child poverty in the Central African Republic should help prompt others into swift action.

– Remy Desai-Patel
Photo: Flickr

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Virgil Abloh: Designer of Fashion and Philanthropy

Virgil Abloh
Virgil Abloh—designer, disc jockey, engineer and architect—has made major strides in the fashion world. His designs have also helped bring awareness and assistance to people in need.

Who is Virgil Abloh?

Virgil Abloh was appointed Louis Vuitton’s men’s artistic director in March 2018. Prior to his appointment, Abloh was running his own clothing line called Off-White. He launched Off-White in 2013 as a follow up to his streetwear project, Pyrex Vision, which he had started at Kanye West’s design agency, DONDA. His career as a designer serves as an homage to his mother, who used to be a seamstress, despite receiving a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s in architecture.

Abloh’s Philanthropic Efforts for Solar Power

Abloh participated in the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair – Spring/Summer 2019 Edition by joining model Naomi Campbell, graphic designer Peter Saville and photographer Nick Knight in bringing awareness to the Little Sun Foundation, a program focused on the use of solar power. He designed a poster in which the main focus was a solar-powered lamp that comes with a strap so that it can be removed from its stand and worn around the neck like a torch.

This lamp is especially important in areas like sub-Saharan Africa, where electricity is not readily available. People usually light their homes with kerosene lamps, which release toxic fumes that are extremely detrimental to the environment and those around it. When kerosene lamps are replaced with solar-powered lamps, users notice improvements in their health, which also results in better school attendance for school-age children.

The Little Sun Foundation was founded by artist, Olafur Eliasson, whose goal is to provide solar energy to those communities that lack electricity. The foundation also trains youth through solar-education programs. The programs “aim to provide children with tools and knowledge that empower them to shape a sustainable future for themselves and for the planet,” the foundation’s website says.

Without proper lighting, refugee camps can seem like a scary and dangerous place to live, especially for women and children. Wearing the solar-powered lamp helps users feel more at peace about their surroundings. Not to mention, the lamps provide extra light to students who need it to perform well on their homework.

Abloh’s Philanthropic Efforts for Children of War

Abloh contributed his talents in FAMILY’s creative charity initiative to design a graphic t-shirt collection with proceeds going to War Child. War Child is an organization that provides education and a safe space for children and families who have been displaced by war. They also train victims of war to be able to provide for themselves after suffering the loss of their homes and jobs. Their services are offered in Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Iraq, Afghanistan and Jordan.

With his role at Louis Vuitton, Abloh hopes to accomplish great things, not just in the fashion industry, but in an ever-changing, diverse society.

“I want to use Louis Vuitton’s history with travel to really look at different cultures around the world to help make all our humanity visible. When creativity melds together with global issues, I believe you can bring the world together,” Abloh said.

– Sareen Mekhitarian
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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The Healing Power of Art After War

The Healing Power of ArtWhile charities and humanitarian organizations ensure that children refugees receive food, blankets, shelter, vaccinations and malnutrition screenings, it is easy to overlook the other side of war and displacement – the psychological impact – and the healing power of art.

Refugees and Mental Illnesses

There are 25.9 million refugees around the world and over half of them are children under 18. Children refugees are more at risk of trauma and psychological disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with rates ranging between 50 and 90 percent compared to 10 and 40 percent in adults. Even major depression rates are higher among children refugees than adults.

The distress caused by war is often chronic, with one study showing 45 percent of participants still suffering from depression and PTSD three years after the Bosnian war. Fourteen different studies also show a significantly higher trend of disturbance among displaced individuals living in refugee camps than nondisplaced individuals or those living temporarily with relatives, even when nondisplaced individuals experienced significant trauma.

According to UNICEF, 2.5 million Syrian children are living as refugees in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. In Jordan, nearly 100,000 out of the 1.4 million Syrian refugees reside in Za’atari, a refugee camp. Syrians refugees have no legal right to work in Jordan and tensions are mounting between the two populations. Humanitarian organizations are struggling to provide food, shelter and medical care, so people often overlook educational and creative activities for children.

Artolution and the Need for Art and Expression

According to Joel Bergner, co-founder of the public art organization, Artolution, “The kids, most of whom went to school in Syria, now roam the refugee camp with few rules or structured activities. They are very rough and frequently get into fights. Yet, at the same time, they are also really sweet and friendly.”

If the international community seeks to rebuild war-torn countries or reintegrate child refugees back into a functional society, then psychological treatment is just as necessary as the physical. The trauma of war will lose whole generations if people underestimate the healing power of art.

Bergner seeks to reverse the trend of trauma, aggression and marginalization by giving children something to do with their time and by recognizing the healing power of art. Advances in neuroimaging have shown that the Broca’s area of the brain, associated with speech and articulation, actually shuts down after an individual experience’s trauma. People call this change speechless terror, which makes expressing, and therefore, managing a trauma significantly harder. However, the sensory areas of the brain that process trauma also play a role in art-making. This allows creating art to become a voice for those unable to express their trauma and reconcile their emotions.

Art Therapy

The first use of the term “art therapy” was in 1942, following Adrian Hill’s service in World War I. Hill was a British soldier, author and an official war artist whose work highlighted the healing power of art-making. Since then, art therapy has taken on various forms beyond being a method for a therapist and patient to communicate. It can involve drawing, painting, dance, theatre and song.

According to the American Art Therapy Association, the art-making process helps foster self-awareness, manage behavior and develop social skills while reducing anxiety and increasing self-esteem. The most effective art therapy models, though, are those conducted in groups and that include a discussion. This helps prevent avoidance and emotional numbing often associated with PTSD.

The organization, Artolution, is a collaborative art-making project that connects children to positive role models and their peers, but it is not only that. In Za’atari camp, the Syrian artist, Jasmine Necklace, co-facilitated a community mural alongside Bergner as well as Syrian and Jordanian children. This practice allows for discussions among refugee youth so they can talk openly about their trauma.

Art therapist, Melissa S. Walker, says that she and her colleagues have seen the healing power of art therapy through its ability to overcome the speech-language barrier in veterans, allowing them to work through their traumatic experiences in a way that feels safe.

Art therapy programs such as these have found root across the world, as more organizations acknowledge the healing power of art. UNICEF helped develop a drama program in Slavonski Brod, a town in Eastern Croatia, to help children overcome the psychological effects of the Yugoslav Wars. A counseling project for Sudanese refugees utilized drawing, theatre, writing and storytelling to help children traumatized by civil war. The nonprofit organization, War Child, sponsors art-therapy projects in the Caucasus for children refugees and those damaged by war.

Just as any humanitarian organization seeks to improve the lives of children, art therapy projects help heal the psychological wounds of war. It gives refugees a channel to communicate and a chance to rebuild their communities.

– Emma Uk
Photo: Flickr

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Organizations Helping Child Soldiers Recover

Child Soldiers
Around 250,000 children around the globe are child soldiers.

Child soldiers are people under the age of 18 who are used for military purposes. They can be boys or girls and can range in age from four to late teens. The tasks of a child soldier vary from fighting to being a messenger. Discussed below are the three leading organizations that help child soldiers recover from being involved in such activities.

Organizations Helping Child Soldiers

Child Soldiers International

Child Soldiers International is an organization based in London that has been around since 1998. Established by other leading human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Child Soldiers International works to end recruitment and use of children on behalf of armed groups.

Among things such as reduction of violations and promoting the ban on child recruitment, the organization puts an emphasis on reintegration. For instance, Child Soldiers International offers literacy and numeracy classes for girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The organization also advocates “to increase the quantity and quality of reintegration programs.”

War Child

War Child, a Canadian based organization, has been around since 1999. “By providing access to education, opportunity and justice, War Child gives children in war-affected communities the chance to reclaim their childhood.” With better education and opportunity, one can better resist the appeal of armed groups.

United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

UNICEF has been committed to children for the past 70 years. UNICEF has played a big role in helping children around the world by releasing children associated with armed forces and providing them with assistance to return home. The organization supports a variety of recovery services such as physical and mental health, education and skills training.

Since 1998, UNICEF has helped more than 100,000 former children associated with armed groups reintegrate into their communities. The organization discourages the use of the term ‘child soldier’ as it doesn’t adequately include the variety of roles children are recruited to do for military purposes.

These three organizations helping child soldiers recover are making a difference in the lives of children around the world who find themselves caught in the conflict.

– Shannon Elder

Photo: Flickr

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The Lord’s Resistance Army Legacy in Northern Uganda

Uganda

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) took a stronghold in Northern Uganda in 1986. Its leader, Joseph Kony, commanded his troops to overthrow the Ugandan government by abducting thousands of children and forcing them to work for him.

The Lord’s Resistance Army only had access to Northern Uganda, leaving half of the country in disarray while the other side of the country focused on economic and social advancement.

During its malevolent attacks, the LRA was known to kill the weak and old with machetes, swords, or stones. To further elicit fear, Kony would maim victims, leaving his mark on villages.

Kony’s attacks have scarred and uprooted the lives of nearly all Acholi people, who make up the majority of persons living in Northern Uganda. Due to fear, many have taken refuge and fled their homes. Many continued to stay in hiding even after Kony’s attacks became less frequent beginning in 2006.

Due to Joseph Kony’s reign of terror, nearly the entire population of Northern Uganda was displaced. Little was done to ensure that children had access to education, leaving the region with two generations of uneducated youth.

As the Acholi people began to feel safe enough to return to their homes, they became aware of the destruction that happened in their villages. There were no real jobs available, there was no access to education and there was no infrastructure.

Unlike in the rest of Uganda, where children have a chance to receive an education, the dire lack of facilities in Northern Uganda reinforces the cycle of poverty.

Many international organizations are trying to give Acholi children access to education and to help break the dreadful cycle of poverty that is looming over them. For example, War Child is an organization that seeks to ensure that children’s lives are not ruined by war.

War Child is helping by sending 2,000 of the poorest Acholi children to school. This involves training and giving grants to parents, siblings and other family members. In some cases, the grants are given to children directly, so that they may set up their own income-generating enterprises.

The organization is also training teachers in Northern Uganda to teach at a higher standard and to run schools efficiently. War Child also has a Youth Entrepreneurship Operation which provides loans to young Acholi people money to start their own businesses. War Child provides not only funding, but also mentorship and verbal support.

Between getting children in school, hiring and educating teachers and providing entrepreneurship starting blocks, War Child is bringing hope back to a recovering region. The humanitarian community hopes that other organizations will soon be inspired to undertake similar initiatives, in order to help rebuild lives in Northern Uganda.

– Bella Chaffey

Photo: Flickr

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David Bowie’s Charity Legacy Lives On

David BowieDavid Bowie was unique among famous figures. Not only was he a superstar in the music world, he was also a superstar in the world of helping the hungry, sick and poor. His death in January 2016 came as a blow to both worlds.

David Bowie’s charity work involved supporting causes related to disadvantaged children and youth, human rights, poverty and hunger, women’s issues, disaster relief and AIDS relief/reduction.

According to Look to the Stars, David Bowie took part in many charity activities, including 21st Century Leaders/Whatever It Takes, Every Mother Counts, Keep a Child Alive, Save the Children, the Lunchbox Fund and War Child.

According to their website, 21st Century Leaders is a nonprofit foundation with the mission of influencing well-known people “to raise awareness and funds for international development causes, thereby leading the way in promoting positive environmental and sustainable human development solutions.” David Bowie was one of their leaders.

Whatever It Takes is a project through which artists donate artwork or sign products to raise money to fund global development causes, including environmental protection, the alleviation of poverty and the provision of child services. Bowie designed a plate for Whatever It Takes.

Every Mother Counts is devoted to making pregnancy and birth safe for every woman. Bowie donated a song to their cause, which raises money to help maternal and childcare programs all over the world.

Bowie also performed songs for Keep a Child Alive, a nonprofit organization with the mission “to realize the end of AIDS for children and families, by combating the physical, social and economic impacts of HIV,” according to its website. The organization works in South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and India, helping 70,000 people a year.

Bowie also contributed to Save the Children and the Lunchbox Fund. In 2014, Save the Children worked in 120 countries and helped 166 million children. The Lunchbox Fund is a nonprofit organization focusing on “education via nutrition by providing a daily meal for orphaned and at-risk school children in township and rural areas of South Africa,” according to its website. The lunchboxes simply provide a meal to a child who goes to school, offering an incentive to stay in school.

David Bowie donated songs to albums for War Child. War Child is an organization that “works toward a world in which no child’s life is torn apart by war,” as stated on its website. The group has helped almost 100,000 children and adults directly and 500,000 indirectly.

Through these charities alone, David Bowie’s charity legacy lives on and continues to have an effect.

– Rhonda Marrone

Sources: Look to the Stars, 21 Century Leaders, Whatever it Takes, Every Mother Counts, Keep Child Alive, Save the Children, The Lunchbox Fund, War Child
Photo: The Imaginative Conservative