WAR CHILD BACKGROUND
 
 
 ABOUT THE WAR CHILD OFFICES

War Child International currently consists of two offices: War Child Holland and War Child Canada. Although sharing the same aims and goals, the two organisations are totally autonomous, with independent trustees and financial coordination.

The two implementing offices in Holland and Canada have united under a common War Child International flag to unite their efforts and to define a shared set of values, best practices, common principles and operational guidelines under total equality. Thereby creating a network of organisations working across the world to help children affected by war.

Please note: The other smaller offices operating under the War Child name, (War Child UK and her fundraising offices in France, the USA, Australia and Ireland) have not yet joined the War Child International Network and as such are not yet subject to the guiding principles and operational guidelines as set out by War Child International. Talks with War Child UK to join War Child International are in progress.

ABOUT THE WAR CHILD PROJECTS

War Child Holland Brochure

Psychosocial support, the impact of war on children; creative programs; the importance of playing; examples of work; Quotes; sharing games and experiences; Imagination enlarges Flexibility (PDF format)

Download the English brochure
Download the French brochure
 
 
The two offices have developed different focus and specialties, and often work closely together in countries where they both have projects. War Child Holland is focussed on psychosocial aid and War Child Canada on vocational training. Both organisations have made peacebuilding an integral part of their projects.

Children in warzones have to cope with very difficult circumstances. Not only do children suffer horrible physical wounds, hunger and malnutrition. Children have problems with recurring nightmares, sleep disorders, incontinence, depressions, explosions of anger or anguish, concentration problems, and many more symptoms. Many are very somber about their future.

The War Child organisations run their own projects, but also work in partnership with local grass roots organisations, through both short-term emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation programs, to improve the living conditions of war-affected children.

War Child continues to use the enormous support it receives from the public, and from the media, music and entertainment industries to raise much needed funds and to raise public awareness of the daily struggle facing children in war zones.

War Child continues to work together with universities and other knowledge centers to do scientific research into the situation of children of war, and tries to develop methologies and methods to contribute to the well-being of these children.

War Child also works as a pressure group, forging links with the general public, companies, universities, schools, and governmental- and non governmental organisations; in order to promote awareness of the problems facing children in war zones and mobilise public support on their behalf.

HISTORY

War Child was founded in 1993 by two British film makers, after they had returned from the warzones in former Yugoslavia having made a film about the role of artists in war. Shocked by the plight of children - this war like so many in the world, was a war against civilians - they decided to use their film and entertainment background to raise money for the innocent victims of that gruesome war.

In 1994 the War Child Holland founder started activities in support of the War Child aims, which resulted in the founding of War Child Holland in the summer of 1995. This was followed by the founding of War Child Canada in 1998.

Since that time War Child has expanded their field of operations to include some of the other thirty wars and conflicts that are currently affecting millions of children around our planet.

From psychosocial workshops for children in Bosnia: Music Therapy in the bomb shelters of Sarajevo, to helping the children in Sudan and Afghanistan. And from projects for street children in Ethiopia to creative workshops in the Chechnyan refugee camps in Ingushetia. From Youth Media & Human Rights programs for Burmese refugees, to creative and sports programs in Sierra Leone. Community programs in Democratic Republic of Congo and mobile workshops in Kosovo. From material aid to Iraq to Afghan refugee education in Pakistan. War Child is working as hard as possible to take the war out of the child.

SUPPORT FOR WAR CHILD

War Child has gained enormous support from the public, schools and business communities. Company sponsor programs, products and co-promotion activities have been set up and many concerts, art expositions and special events have been organised to support the War Child cause. Thousands of schools around the world have participated in raising funds and awareness for children in war zones.

Since the earlt days of War Child the music and entertainment industry and many famous artists have joined ranks to support the War Child cause, ranging from Alanis Morissette and Avril Lavigne in Canada, Neil Morrissey and U2 in the UK, and Marco Borsato and Do and many many more in the Netherlands. Dozens of special concerts and CD’s have been organised to support War Child’s activities.

Television documentaries and medical and psychosocial reports have been made about the situation of children in Chechnya, Eritrea, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sierra Leone, Burma; raising attention for the desperate situation the children in those areas are facing.

For more information about the War Child history, browse around in the War Child News Archive.