War Child (charity)

War Child is a non-governmental organisation founded in the UK 1993, which focuses on providing assistance to children in areas of conflict and post-conflict. They use their film and entertainment background to raise money for aid agencies operating in former Yugoslavia. War Child UK was soon followed by organisations in the Netherlands and Canada.

War Child Offices

There are three independent offices of War Child: War Child Canada (1999), War Child Holland (1994) and War Child UK (1993). These offices share the same aims and goals, but work autonomously, with independent trustees and financial coordination. The War Child Holland office is the largest of the three, with more than €16 million euro in projects spent (2010), and a direct reach of more than 700,000 children. War Child UK is the second largest office with projects for €4,3 million (2010). War Child Canada has the smallest operational budget of €3,4 million euro (2009).

War Child Canada (also USA)

War Child Canada is a registered charity founded in 1999 by Dr. Samantha Nutt and Dr. Eric Hoskins and is a financially, legally and operationally independent Canadian organisation governed by a Board of Directors. Its offices are based in Toronto, Ontario, and is the head office for all advocacy, awareness raising and fundraising activities across North America. In collaboration with local partners, War Child Canada works to provide humanitarian assistance and long-term rehabilitative support for children and youth so they can overcome the trauma of war and rebuild their lives. War Child Canada's international projects focus on the promotion and protection of children’s rights, improving access to education, strengthening livelihoods and building capacity throughout war-affected communities around the world.

A vital component of War Child Canada’s overseas programming is the development of strong, respectful partnerships with local communities and organisations. War Child Canada believes it can deliver effective development projects through support to local community-based initiatives, enhancing self-sufficiency and building local capacity. The charity has active partnerships in Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Uganda, Darfur,Sudan, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia.

War Child Netherlands

War Child Netherlands,(or 'War Child Holland' in the field) is the largest War Child Office with a yearly budget of around 10 million Euros, which has specialised in helping the psychosocial needs of children who have suffered from war and/or conflict situations, by means of a special methodology by using creative arts. The organisation grew from a one-man office in 1994, to 40 employees in the Netherlands and 600 abroad in 2007. Together they reach a total of 850.000 children and 135.000 adults a year in 13 countries affected by armed conflict.

War Child Netherlands invests in the peaceful future of children affected by war. War Child’s goal is the empowerment of children in war-affected areas, through:

• The establishment and implementation of psychosocial programmes in which creative and sports activities are used to reinforce the psychological and social development and the welfare of the children;
• The establishment and implementation of creative and sports programmes that are aimed at uniting children who have been driven apart because of war, in order to contribute to a peaceful society;
• The creation of public awareness of the problems of children in (former) war zones and the generation of support for these children.

Through music- creative- and sports activities children learn to express their emotions. This helps them to deal with war experiences and stimulates their personal development and respect for one another. By learning to play again children are able to escape the difficulties of their daily lives for a while. In 2005 War Child Netherlands introduced a new measurement system for the programmes in 14 countries. In the first results it was shown that the projects reach more than 650,000 children worldwide.

War Child Netherlands currently works in Afghanistan; Chechnya/Ingushetia; Colombia; Democratic Republic of Congo; Israel/the Palestinian territories; Georgia; Kosovo; Sierra Leone; Sudan; and Uganda. It also has special projects for refugees in the Netherlands.

War Child UK

War Child UK exists to:

• support and rehabilitate child victims of war.
• address the on-going consequences of conflict on children.

War Child UK does this by:

• working with local communities, their organisations and local authorities in both conflict and post-conflict areas to support children and the people they depend upon.
• ensuring sustainable security for children.
• promoting child supportive livelihood opportunities.
• addressing the developmental needs of the most vulnerable and marginalised children.

War Child UK currently works in Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq and Uganda

War Child UK also operates a music download site called War Child Music as an awareness raising and fundraising tool.

History of War Child

The founders

War Child was founded in 1993 by British filmmakers Bill Leeson and David Wilson, when they returned from filming in the war in former Yugoslavia. In 1993 the first War Child convoy with equipment, and food to run a mobile bakery travelled to former Yugoslavia. War Child Netherlands was founded shortly after in 1994 by Willemijn Verloop, when she met Music Therapy professor Nigel Osborne during the war in Bosnia; War Child Holland programmes have since always focussed on psychosocial aid. War Child Canada was founded in 1998 by Samantha Nutt and Eric Hoskins.

Stars, media and music

During the war in the Balkan War Child worked together with the media, music and entertainment industries to raise funds and public awareness of the daily struggle for survival facing children in war zones. Famous artists like Brian Eno, David Bowie, Bono, Luciano Pavarotti and Tom Stoppard backed the War Child cause at the start-up of the organization. With Exotic events like Little Pieces from Big Stars, Pagan Fun Wear and Milestones were ground-breaking charity fundraising events. And in 1995 the record-breaking release of The Help Album made it possible for War Child to start major projects in the former Yugoslavia. Since 1993 many other famous artists like Paul McCartney, Paul Weller, Oasis, Radiohead, U2, Anton Corbijn, Eric Clapton, Marco Borsato, Bob Geldof, Iggy Pop, Avril Lavigne, Keane and many others have joined the War Child cause.

In 2005, to mark the 10th anniversary of The Help Album, War Child UK launched Help!: A Day in the Life. In addition to Radiohead and Manic Street Preachers, the new album features artists such as Coldplay, Bloc Party, Gorillaz, Elbow, Feeder and Kaiser Chiefs, along with Keane who are current patrons of War Child UK. Another compilation album, Heroes, was released in February 2009.

In 2008 War Child helped realize the film The Silent Army which was an initiative of War Child ambassador Marco Borsato. The film attracted a lot of attention in the Netherlands and was selected for the 'Un Certain Regard' section of the Cannes film festival in 2009.

War Child programmes

Starting off with mobile bakeries from the UK and with both rebuilding and music programmes from Holland, War Child projects expanded rapidly during the years. War Child expanded programmes within the Balkan to other countries and regions, like Kosovo. In 1995 War Child UK was undertaking the establishment of a very special Children's Music Centre in Mostar, later to be called The Pavarotti Music Centre. War Child Holland actively supporting the Music Therapy Programme in Bosnia, a direction they would later specialise in; using creative and psychosocial means to heal trauma's of war. From 1995 the War Child Diabetic Programme restored the diabetic support system in Bosnia; and until 1998 War Child remained one of the main suppliers of diabetic medicines throughout Bosnia Hercegovina.

Awards

• War Child UK's first Field Director in Bosnia, James Kennedy, was awarded the MBE or his work for the War Child Bakery project in Mostar .
• The big drive behind the War Child UK Diabetic Programme, Lynn Kuschel, was awarded with an MBE for her work for the diabetic children of war.
• War Child received an Emmy for the BBC Newsround Extra programme of War Child’s educational and therapeutic development in Mostar.
• War Child Holland founder Willemijn Verloop was awarded a knighthood by the Queen
• War Child Holland and founder Willemijn Verloop were awarded the Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award - Freedom of Fear.

External links

• War Child International
• Echoes of war Documentary about the effects of war on children

In alphabetical order, the national War Child websites are:

• War Child Australia
• War Child Canada
• War Child Netherlands (English language | Dutch language)
• War Child North America
• War Child UK - Also see the Intelligent Giving profile of War Child UK here
• War Child US