HOPE WILL WIN:building a new future for

the Rohingya refugees

childrenNOW

GREAT EXPECTATIONS!Why pregnant women in Kenya

love the boda boda paramedic

19 CHILDREN AND COUNTING:meet Uganda’s hardest

working foster mum

ON THE GROUND:aid worker Ahmad explains

the challenges in Syria

Together we fight for children every day

2

IN THIS ISSUE

AND THAT’S NOT ALL

WELCOMEOn our map: our work in the Philippines 04

Delivery boys: meet the Boda Boda paramedics 06

Super foster mum: Francine* and her 19 children 08

Living by numbers: the facts you need to know 11

Side by Side: your chance to help young refugees 12

One year on: the Rohingya crisis at Cox’s Bazar 14

Shop talk: how you can help 16

Be inspired: Frasier Cox’s award winning book 17

Call the midwife: how we’re helping mento deliver babies in Rwanda 18

Big dreams and bee stings: life in Kolkata’shoney slums 20From the field: Ahmad in Syria sees a hell onearth for children 22Join in: from Tough Mudders to our ChristmasJumper Day, fun ways to show your support 23

We’re launching a brand new project‘Side by Side’ to help you become even moreinvolved in the day-to-day lives of the childrenyou support. Find out more on page 12.

What’s new inside your supporters’magazine for summer 2018

Welcome to the new-look Children Now, ourbi-annual magazine that showcases some of the waysthat, alongside our incredible supporters, we’re helpingchildren to build a better future.

In this issue, you’ll read about how you’re helpingchildren to thrive, including inspiring stories fromAfrica, Asia and Europe.

We’re particularly in awe of super foster mumFrancine*, who shares her home in a Ugandan refugeecamp with 19 children. And in India, Chattu*,a 13-year-old boy living in a honey slum whose sightsare set firmly on becoming a doctor.

There’s also a special report from Bangladesh onthe crisis affecting Myanmar’s Rohingya community -one year after we began humanitarian relief effortsthere. Find out how we’re supporting and protectingsome of the world’s most vulnerable children by givingthem safe places to play and learn.

Closer to home, you’ll meet ten year-old Frasierfrom Brighton. He’s written an award-winning book‘There’s a Boy Just Like Me’ about an imaginaryfriendship between a boy from the UK and a refugeeaffected by conflict.

We think you’ll agree that with boys like Frasier,our future is in good hands. Together, we’re standingside by side with children to empower them as theymake their mark on the world.

Thank you from everyone at Save the Children.

*Names have been changed to protect identity

3

Every child shouldn’t just survive, but thrive and go on to change the world.Find out the different ways to fight for children every day at:savethechildren.org.uk/children-now-2018

Ahmad works with usin Syria helping childreninside the conflict zone

CONTRIBUTORS David works withus in Scotland at ourEdinburgh shop

BANGLADESH TheRohingya crisis one yearon – your part in ourvital work Page 14

UK The ten yearold changing ourviews on refugeesPage 17

PHILIPPINES Helpingchildren back into educationand protecting themfrom crisis Page 4UGANDA The

foster childrenlearning to have funagain Page 8

Photo credits: Nour Wahid, Hannah Maule-Ffinch, Nia Nguyen, LJ Pasion, GMB Akash / Save the Children

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How you’re helpingChildren like Samsia (above)love their back-to-school kits,filled with pens, pencils, a sharpener,exercise books, rulers and a portablechalkboard; for a £12 donation,it’s a child’s education in a bag.

1982 Save the Children

started our first programme

on Guimaras Island in western

Visayas with health, education,

and livelihood projects that

benefited over 3,000 children.

ON OUR MAP:

THE PHILIPPINES

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THEN AND NOW

Nine-year-old Samsia* andher family fled their homein Marawi city, Mindanao,in 2017 after fierce fightingerupted between governmentforces and armed fighters.Her brother was killed byrebels and she was separatedfrom her mother. Not longafter, Typhoon Tembin struckMindanao, causing flashfloods and forcing Samsiato flee again.

She now lives with heruncles in a traditional Filipino‘nipa’ hut on the mountain soher family will be safe fromfuture floods.

Samsia is one of manychildren still affected bythe typhoon. So far we’vereached 45,000 childrenand thanks to your support,handed out 5,500 back-to-school kits containing crucialsupplies such as pens, paper,notebooks and art materials.

Children can grow up too fast in the Philippines.Over one third live below the poverty lineand many face the catastrophic effectsof natural disasters. But with your support,each generation is becoming more empoweredto change their world for the better.

“I love to write in school”,says Samsia. “I like writingwhat my teacher writeson the blackboard. I’m inGrade 2 now. The bags andschool supplies from Save theChildren are very useful inmy studies.”

She adds: “When I growup I want to be a ‘Ma’am’(a teacher). I want to teachsmall children. They need tolearn. They need teachers.”

Samsia told us she’sdetermined to continue hereducation and she dreamsof being a teacher. Thanksto supporters like you,children like Samsia nowhave the tools to pursuetheir dreams.

*Names have been changed to protect identity

5

“SA AKONG PAGTUBOGUSTO KONGMAHIMONGMAGTUTUDLO”

“When I grow up I want to be a teacher”- Samsia, nine (Language: Cebuano)

2013 In response toTyphoon Haiyan,

we supported 800,000

children and adults with

essential life-saving aid,

recovery and rehabilitation.

2018 We’re still on the

ground, determined to

make sure children have

access to education and

healthcare and most of

all, a chance to grow up

and fulfil their potential.

Children await the distribution of back-to-school kits at Munai Central

School in Lanao del Norte. Photo credit: LJ Pasion / Save the Children.

6

When Phostine collapsed in labour, sheneeded urgent medical help to save her lifeand that of her unborn baby. Luckily,Godwin Simiyu was on hand.

Godwin is one of a growing numberof boda boda drivers who we’ve trainedto take pregnant women to hospital ontheir motorbikes.

Even though Phostine was barelyconscious, Godwin was able to get herto their nearest hospital in Bumula,western Kenya. After a difficult delivery,she gave birth to Mophat, a healthy boy.

With support from UK Aid, we helpedset up the boda boda ambulance schemeto reduce the rates of infant and maternalmortality. The bikes are ready foremergencies as well as plannedappointments.

Godwin, a 34-year-old father of three,is proud to be a boda boda driver whohelps the women in his local area. He sayshis own family is more secure thanks tohis job. “This project has boosted mefinancially. Feeding my family has becomeeasy and we are all very happy.”

“I HAVE TO DRIVEVERY FAST.”

Photo credits: Allan Gichigi / Save the Children

Baldwin Masika Wacwa, riding his motorbike. He was selected by the local community as

the one to run the boda boda ambulance, and is on call day or night for emergencies.

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“If it was not for theambulance getting meto the hospital in time,I don’t think I would havesurvived the delivery.”Phostine Wafula

“Sometimes amother calls me,and as I take themto hospital, anotherone calls me. Thismeans I have todrive very fast totake the first oneto hospital, leavethem and rush toattend to the otherone. Quite often,this happensat night.”Godwin Simiyu

Photo credits: Allan Gichigi / Save the Children

Find out about more of our innovative programmes by visiting:savethechildren.org.uk/children-now-2018

23Boda Bodamotorbikes

women helpedin 2017

1,010 669babies bornin 2017

BODA BODA BY NUMBERS

*Names have been changed to protect identity

SUPER-MUMFRANCINE* AND HER19 CHILDREN

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Francine was living in avillage in the DemocraticRepublic of Congo (DRC)when fighting erupted.Robbers broke into her homeand killed her brother andsister-in-law. Francine decidedto take her five children tosafety in Uganda. It tookthree days to reach theborder on foot.

Once they had reachedsafety, it seemed natural toFrancine to reach out andhelp others. “When youbelong to a family you have

Francine, 41, could bethe hardest-workingmother in the world.Every day, she cares for19 children who shareher three-room home inthe Rwamwanja refugeesettlement in Uganda.

someone who can care foryou,” she explains. “Someonewho can guide you if you gowrong. But those childrenwho don’t have families,they just behave the waythey want to because theydon’t have anyone who cancorrect them.”

She began fosteringorphaned children and nowhas 14 foster kids, who havebecome part of her originalfamily. “The children arehappy staying with me. Youcan’t know this one is mine

In Uganda, we haveprovided 197,812children with ahealthy start in life.

and the other isn’t, if I hadn’ttold you.”

Nyotte*, 11, one of herfostered children, adds:

“When I remember themoment I lost contact withmy parents, it brings mestress. What makes me happyis when I am here, Francine

All photos: Hannah Maule-Ffinch / Save the Children

treats me like the people inmy village used to.”

We have supportedFrancine by helping her toenrol some of the children inschool. We’ve also providedsoap, clothing, shoes, booksand pens for the family,and offered counselling tothe children who were lefttraumatised by the conflict.

Like all mothers, Francineworries about what lies aheadfor her children. She wants

In Uganda, we have:Supported

66,643children in timesof crisis

Provided

197,812children with ahealthy start in life

Given

2,146children vitalnourishment

Protected

32,601children fromharm

Uganda now hostsone million refugees- more than any othercountry in Africa.Refugees here havethe right to a primaryeducation, to ownproperty and to work.But the journey to safety isfar from easy. Hunger is thebiggest issue facing childrenfleeing the DRC. More thanhalf fall sick and a quarterof children are assaulted byarmed groups as they flee.

Doctors are also warningof a growing polio crisiswhich is following on froman outbreak of Ebola.Johnson Byamukama,our Emergency ResponseDirector in Uganda, says:“The conflict in the DRCis one of the world’sforgotten crises. We seechild refugees arrivingevery day in desperateneed. Every one has ahorrific story to tell,including of rape, parentsbeing killed or witnessingextreme violence.”

Sister act: Nyotte, above,enjoys hair-braiding

Band of brothers: Francine’schildren love to play together

them to “have a good life.And for them to sleep in agood house and have a goodeducation. And then they cantake care of their future life.”

Her motivation is simple:“I just feel joy on my part ...and I can’t refuse, I can’t sayno to anyone.”

9*Names have been changed to protect identity

1.4millionrefugees have fled to Ugandaincluding 276,000 from DRCand more than 1 millionfrom South Sudan.

We’re working in sixrefugee camps acrossUganda. Our EmergencyHealth Unit has supportedrefugees throughreproductive healthcareand vaccinations forchildren. Outside of thecamps, we’re workingwith local communitiesexpanding our educationwork so that morechildren can get backto school.

Safe and soundWe’ve set up 30 safe spaceswhere children can play, learn,share their experiences andaccess counselling.

Letting children bethemselvesLife as a young refugee canspell the end of childhood, sowe make sure young childrenget help with reading andwriting, art therapy, plus

CENTRAL AFRICANREPUBLIC

DRC

SOUTH SUDAN

UGANDA

REPUBLIC OFTHE CONGO

RWANDARWANDARWANDARWANDARWANDARWANDA

TANZANIA

73,000refugees have fled DRCto Uganda in the firsthalf of 2018.

2,800unaccompanied orseparated childrenare refugees.

emotional and social support.But we don’t just provideteachers and psychologicalcare - we bring books,footballs and climbing framesto the refugee camps.

Back to schoolOne of our priorities is toget refugee children backinto education. Thanks toour generous supporterswe’re able to do this through

BURUNDIBURUNDIBURUNDIBURUNDI

our Accelerated LearningProgramme (ALP), designedto help children who havedropped out of school getback to class and completetheir primary education.

ANGOLA

What we’re doing

KINDU

RWAMWANJA

ZAMBIA

KENYA

Photo credit: Hannah Maule-Ffinch / Save the Children10

Humanitarianresponses in60 countries

Rohingya children givenhealthcare, food andsupport in Bangladesh

People in East Africahelped through drought

Yemeni children supportedin the face of war, hungerand disease

13.3m

Last year, this is what we wereable to achieve together:

11

121

Children reacheddirectly throughour work

367k

4.7m

537k

Last yearby numbers

Figures taken from our from annual report,which you can find on our website.

*Names have been changed to protect identity

THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLDSIRAJ IS A SYRIANREFUGEE LIVING INTHE BEKAA VALLEY,LEBANON.

His life is at a crossroads:will he be able to stay ineducation – or must hestart adult life, working asa farm labourer to supporthis family?

Siraj and his sister Noor, 15,work in the fields every day for sixhours before going to school. It’sa situation no child should be in.

But you can help change the livesof children like Siraj by signing upto Side by Side, our new projectwhich will follow Siraj’s journeyfor the next six months. He willbe documenting his life throughphotographs like these whichsupporters will be able to see.

For just £15 a month, you cansupport Siraj and other childrefugees like him all over theworld to overcome their horrificexperiences, get back in theclassroom, and simply bechildren again.

Find out more at:savethechildren.org.uk/side-by-side

13Photo credit: Jonathan Hyams / Save the Children

Photo credit: NourW

ahid /Save the Children

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ONE YEAR ON:

CRISIS ATCOX’S BAZAR

The harsh reality is thatthe overcrowded and fragilesettlements have been badlyaffected by recent monsoonsand flooding. The refugees arein constant danger from newthreats as a result.

“We remain deeplyconcerned about the potentialfor a health disaster in thecamps, which is heightened bythe arrival of the monsoon,”says Claire Eldred, our HealthAdviser in Cox’s Bazar.“Any outbreak of diseases inthese fragile conditions andcramped spaces, arising fromthe inevitable contact betweenpeople and contaminatedwater, could spread quicklyand would be potentiallycatastrophic. Young childrenare particularly vulnerable torespiratory tract infections

like bronchitis and pneumonia,and dehydration causedby diarrhoea.”

This crisis is far from over.But together, with the helpof our supporters, we willcontinue to do everythingwe can to help the childrenand families affected.

Twelve months ago, violence, chaos andpersecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State causedhundreds of thousands of children to seekrefuge in Bangladesh. Many of the children whoescaped, experienced or witnessed unthinkableatrocities and have been left in desperate needof emotional support.

Many familiesarrive with onlythe clothes ontheir backs.

It’s estimated that more than900,000 Rohingya refugees,half of them children, areliving in overcrowded refugeecamps in the district ofCox’s Bazar in south eastBangladesh. Many familiesarrived here in a state ofshock, carrying only theclothes on their backs.

But thanks to the incredibleresponse of supporters likeyou, our teams were alreadyon the ground scaling upour response within daysof Rohingya refugees firstarriving in the camps. Sincethe crisis began, we’ve beenworking round the clock toprovide shelter, health andnutrition care, food andemotional support tochildren and familiesescaping the violence.

Rohingya refugee Somuda*, four,waits at a transit camp shortlyafter arriving in Bangladesh

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*Names have been changed to protect identity

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WHO ARE THEROHINGYA PEOPLE?

The Rohingya community area predominantly Muslim ethnicminority. They are considered bysome as one of the most persecutedminorities in the world.

There are approximately twomillion people in the Rohingyacommunity, half of whom lived inMyanmar until last year.

Myanmar law denies the Rohingyapopulation citizenship, makingthem stateless.

900,000 Rohingya people havecrossed the border into Bangladesh.Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’sBazar is now the largest refugeesettlement in the world today.

700,000people,

including350,000children,

reached withlife-saving

support

COX’SBAZAR

BANGLADESH

INDIA

MYANMAR

CHINA

THAILAND

RAKHINESTATE

BAY OF BENGAL

INDIA

600,000people

receiving foodon a regular

basis, including rice, lentils

and oils

41,000hygiene kitsdistributed,

containing itemsto help keep

families cleanand healthy

800toilets andnearly 300

bathing unitsinstalled

Photo credit: GMB Akash / Save the Children

Find out more about our work in Cox’s Bazar by visiting:savethechildren.org.uk/children-now-2018

16

How long have youvolunteered with us?Three and a half years.I’ve taken on lots of newchallenges during that time,starting in the Edinburgh officeand moving on to work in ourMorningside and NicolsonStreet shops.

What would you say tosomeone who was thinkingabout volunteering for us?Enjoy yourself and makethe most of opportunitiesto raise the profile ofSave the Children.

What part of our workaffects you the most?When you see childrenseparated from parentsone way or another, thatseparation is abominable.It really upsets me. It isimportant children are helpedto stay with their families.

There are more than 100 Save the Children shops throughout the UK raising vital fundsfor our work. Volunteers like David are integral to the success of our shops, helping witheverything from window displays to finance.

David Nicholson, 66, volunteers in our Edinburghshop. He says, “I love talking to customers.”

Find out about volunteering here:savethechildren.org.uk/how-you-can-help/volunteer

What sort of things doyou like to see broughtinto the shop?We get all sorts – frommusical instruments to unusualornaments! I keep my eyesout for football memorabilia.I’ll collect anything to dowith football.

What’s the best thingabout your role?The feeling that I’m using mytime productively.

Tell us a bit about yourselfI am very shy but havemanaged to overcome thiswith help from my colleagues.Now I love talking tocustomers. It’s nice to sharemy knowledge of how ourdonations help children.

HOW CAN I HELP?

What do you do?My background is in retailand I enjoy being on the tilland customer service. Charityshop work is quite dynamic.I like talking to people.

What is yourfavourite memory?When three of the Heart ofMidlothian footballers visitedthe Nicolson Street shop inEdinburgh. Hearts are ina partnership withSave the Children.

If you were the PrimeMinster or a world leaderfor the day, what wouldyou do?I would initiate a procedurewhereby Members ofParliament were required todo one week’s volunteeringper year and report totheir constituents what theypropose to do to encouragethe population at large to jointhe voluntary sector.

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There’s A Boy Just Like Me is availableto buy from thebookpeople.co.uk for £4.99

A BOY LIKE ME

Since the start of the Syrianrefugee crisis, we have reachedmore than 2.5 million children,providing healthcare, food,water and sanitation, and othervital services.

Frasier Cox, ten, and his first book.He says, “Humans share a special link. We are all the same.”

“Frasier’s story isincredibly touchingand thought provoking.”Claudia Winkleman

We’re very proud of one ofour youngest supporters, ten-year-old Frasier Cox. Frasieris from Brighton, and has wonthe Book People’s BedtimeStory competition for his storyThere’s a Boy Just Like Me.

Frasier’s story has now beenturned into a picture bookwith illustrations by AlisonBrown and published by LittleTiger. The book is availablefrom thebookpeople.co.ukand 35 per cent of the priceof every book sold will go tosupport our work.

There’s a Boy Just Like Metells the story of an imaginaryfriendship between a boyfrom the UK and a refugee -and the fun they could havetogether climbing trees,eating sweets and watching

television. The boys comparetheir hair and even theirmissing teeth.

Written in rhyming verse,the story describes theboys’ dreams from playingprofessional footall tobecoming explorers.

It’s a great reminder thatdespite our different lives,languages and cultures,we are more alike thanwe sometimes think.

Frasier’s story wowed thejudging panel. Head JudgeClaudia Winkleman said:“It’s absolutely remarkablethat a young boy has writtensuch a thoughtful story.”We couldn’t agree more.

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Being a midwife is not just a job to30-year-old Diogene, who works ata maternity ward that our teams builtand equipped in Mahama RefugeeCamp, Rwanda.

Diogene calls it a vocation: “If youconduct and deliver and you hear thebaby cry, you have delivered a person.

“If you are monitoring the mother andyou detect a problem and refer her forhelp, you feel proud.”

As he talks, he examines Oliva, one ofmore than 50,000 Burundian refugeeswho’ve fled across the border to escapeescalating conflict and instability backhome. “You can ask this mum whatshe feels like to be helped by a malemidwife,” he laughs.

Oliva explains she was a victim of thewar in 1993, where her parents weretragically killed. Fearful that the violence

MEET DIOGENE –THE MALE MIDWIFE

Staff Profile

Name: Diogene

Age: 30

Occupation: Midwife

would continue, she escaped the countrywith her children so that they didn’texperience the same horrors that shedid. “I’m very well and so is the baby…now I can’t stop feeling happy! It’s aboy,” says Oliva.

Male midwifery is a growing trendin this part of Africa. In Diogene’smaternity ward, there are four femalemidwives and three males. “Even ourteacher at the hospital was male,”he says.

Thanks to support like yours, we’retraining lots more midwives acrosswest Africa as part of our drive to dramatically reduce the number of child,newborn and maternal deaths.

Hear hear: Diogene listens to the heartbeatof Oliva’s baby while she’s in labour

“Being a midwife isto be wise and tohave more knowledgeabout women.”

- Diogene

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“I’m very well andso is the baby…now I can’t stopfeeling happy!”

- Oliva

All Photos: Jonathan Hyams / Save the Children

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“I will passmy exams andteach my fatherand brothers,and I willbecome a doctor.”

- Chattu

All photos: CJ Clarke / Save the Children

The Madhu Basti (or honeyslum) community is one of thepoorest in India. Families herelive just a couple of metresaway from Kolkata’s busyrailway lines. The communityshares just one hand pump fordrinking water and there areno toilets.

Poverty is the key reasonthat many of the community’schildren drop out of schooland miss out on the educationthey deserve. Families surviveby collecting and sellinghoney. Children also try tomake an income offeringPepsi or orange-flavouredice lollies for one rupee (1p)each to commuters.

It’s a dangerous life forchildren who join their parentson honey gathering ventures.The honey is collected notonly in the city but in thesunderbans, the low-lying

jungle areas home to theBengal tiger. Extracting itfrom the hives is risky, too;children often get stung intheir eyes – and hospitalsare a long way away.

Typically, families sell thehoney for Rs. 100 (£1)/per kg.On any given month, familieslike Chattu’s make around Rs.3000 (£30). Children have nochoice but to work. Educationhere is considered a luxury.

By Chattu, 13I wake up at 6am and wash.

I wash my clothes and eatparatha. Then I go to school.

After, I come back to thehouse and sleep. I wake upat 4pm and wash. Then I sellice-pops and sometimes I sellhoney for 60-200 rupees (60pto £2). I have to go to thetemple, on the other side ofthe railway tracks, to fetch

Chattu* is 13. He lives in Kolkata, India, withhis three brothers and one sister. His father,Jamal*, works collecting and selling honey.

Life in the honey slums

REAL LIFE:

MY LIFE INTHE HONEY SLUMS

water. Carrying the watermakes my head hurt.

There is no doctor nearbyso if someone is sick they haveto go to Bartala, which is fouror five hours away. It hurtswhen you get stung by a bee.Sometimes I apply onion tothe skin. Our eyes get swollen,so we have to get medicinefrom Bartala.

I like to study in the bus.

I learn English Hindi and Hindi.I study from the books in thebus. I like to read, I like towrite and I like colouring.I draw toys, goats and houses.I like the AC [air conditioner]in the bus.

I will sell honey and I willstudy. I will pass my examsand teach my father andbrothers, and I will becomea doctor. I will teach allthe children.

HOWTHE HONEY ISCOLLECTED

Honey collectors seek out hivesin the city and the sunderbans,

jungle areas home toBengal tigers.

They use kerosene-soaked ragsto burn the hives.

Bees leave the hive, stupefiedby the smoke. Honey is

harvested by hand.

Sleepy bees still sting collectors attimes. The worst stings are tothe eye and mean a long trip

to the nearest hospital.

Honey collectors and their familiessell the honey along the railway

tracks for 60-200 Rupees.

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To learn more about transformational programmes we’rerunning thanks to the help of supporters like you, visit:savethechildren.org.uk/children-now-2018

With the support of Aviva, we’ve beenrunning mobile learning centres on

buses that have been visiting the slumcommunities in Kolkata for sevenyears. These buses are stacked

with books, pictures andgames for the children

to enjoy.

All photos: CJ Clarke / Save the Children

“It hurts when you get stungby a bee. Sometimes I applyonion to the skin.”

- Chattu

The most important feature of our buses isthat they’re equipped with high quality

learning materials to get children readingand writing. We also encourage

children to enrol in school or beginvocational skill training so thatthey have the opportunity to

decide their own futures.

In that time,we’ve reached

4,000 street children.

Your £10 could pay for paper, pens and othersupplies to children like Chattu. Thanks toour generous supporters, we were able to

reach 842,000 children through oureducation programmes last year.

We’re more determined thanever to get more children

in the classroom.

Every £10 youdonate could help a

child get back to school

How you’rehelping Chattuand his friends

*Names have been changed to protect identity

FROM THEFIELD22

What did you do beforethe war in Syria?I used to work as a tourguide but with the beginningof the unrest, foreignerswere evacuated and everyaspect of normal life wassuspended. It became obviousthat the next phase would bearmed conflict. I had to picka side, and my choice wasthe aid workers’ side. I didn’tappreciate at the time howthis choice would reshape myentire life for good.

How long did you workin the conflict there?Seven years - since thebeginning. Seven years ofunremitting horror, fear,and neglect. Hundreds ofthousands of people have losttheir lives, millions have lostthe means to survive, and overhalf of the population havebeen forced from their homes.My country has become hellon earth.

How have Syria’s childrenbeen affected?They’ve paid the heaviest pricefor this nightmare: they’vebeen attacked in their homes,schools, playgrounds andhospitals. This war has leftchildren dead, maimed, orliving with wounds that willhaunt them for the rest oftheir lives. I have met childrenstanding on the rubble ofwhat used to be their schools,in collective shelters on thefrontline, and in the middle ofthe sea hoping to be rescuedfrom the waves.

How are youhelping them?Our job in Syria is gettingharder: it’s not just aboutsaving children’s lives, it’s alsoprotecting them from losinghope. War, violence andfear can’t become their onlyreality. We need to remindchildren – or in the case ofthe generation who have onlyknown war, introduce them tothe fact – that one day theywill look at the sky and enjoythe beauty of it rather thanfear where the next airplanewill strike. One day they willgo to the park to play andhave fun, not to bury aloved one.

Ahmad wasborn and raisedin Damascus,and now workstirelessly forchildren with ourhumanitarianteam.

“By supporting oneschool, you can puta smile on hundredsof faces.”

What can we do?I’ve seen how a simple gesturecan make a difference tochildren’s lives. By supportingone school, you can put asmile on hundreds of faces; bysupporting a clinic you cangive hope back to thousandsof desperate mothers whothought it was the end fortheir children. Any act ofkindness in this land - evenif it might seem like a humblecontribution - could meanthe difference between lifeand death.

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NOW JOIN IN!There are so many new opportunities to help our work: you can go for a run or tackle an ostacle course. There is the nowlegendary Christmas Jumper Day when supporters, staff and celebrities across the UK dig out their loudest knitwear to makeChristmas the most wonderful time of the year for children around the world. Why not join in with one of these events?

Join our team and thousands of Santas running pastsome of the capital’s most famous sights raisingfunds for more than 1,000 different charities.Now in its ninth year, we promise a festivefun-filled day out and a free Santa costume. 02/12/18

DATES TOSUIT

LONDONSANTARUN

TOUGHMUDDER

It may seem woolly far away, but it’s never too earlyto sign up for the most festive fundraiser of the year!On Christmas Jumper Day, millions of people upand down the country will be donning their favouriteChristmas knitwear and donating to save children’s lives.Sign up for your free fundraising pack and inspire yourworkplace, local school or a group of family and friends.

More information: christmasjumperday.org

CHRISTMASJUMPER DAY

BEST DRESSED FOR XMAS

14/12/18Taking part in a 10-mile muddy obstacle courseis a great way to challenge yourself. As part of ourteam, you’ll have access to our exclusive onlinerealbuzz training platform, including training guides,an injury hotline and route planners to help youevery step of the way. Plus, a Save the Childrentechnical running vest. And you can becomea member of our Team Save the ChildrenFacebook group to chat to other participantsand share stories and pictures.

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FESTIVE FEVER

TAKE A CHALLENGE

You can write your will with the help of a localparticipating solicitor in exchange for a voluntarycharitable donation. Your gift could transformthe lives of so many children around the world.

More information: willaid.org.uk

WILLAID

01/11/18

WHERE THERE’S A WILL

More information:londonsantarun.co.uk

More information:toughmudder.co.uk

The Save the Children Fund is a charity registered in England and Wales (213890), Scotland (SC039570), and a limited company registered in England and Wales(number 178159). Registered office: 1 St. John’s Lane, London, EC1M 4AR.

Patron: Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal; Chief Executive: Kevin Watkins

Telephone +44 (0)20 7012 6400 Fax +44 (0)20 7012 6963savethechildren.org.uk

Save the Children UK1 St. John’s Lane, London EC1M 4AR

Photo credit: Hanna Adcock / Save the Children

If you’re inspired by what we’re achieving together and would like tofurther support our work, you can use the enclosed form to make

a donation or call our supporter care team on 0207 012 6400.