WHAT YOU CAN DODONATECAMPAIGNSJOBS

 

Level Triple-A conformance icon, W3C-WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
Our Approach
Our work involves thousands of different initiatives, geared towards children’s needs and local circumstances. Several key principles underpin everything we do.

A Long-Term View

In all areas of our work, we look for sustainable solutions that will benefit children and their communities for years to come. We support and strengthen schools, healthcare systems and other infrastructures in the long term by giving people appropriate skills and resources, such as specialist training and quality equipment.

 
CASE STUDY: DARFUR, SUDAN

The crisis in Darfur, Sudan, has been in and out of the news in recent years. Save the Children has worked in the area for decades. Every month, we work with other humanitarian organisations to support 500,000 children and women displaced by conflict through food aid, healthcare and education. As well as providing immediate relief, this support makes valuable long-term improvements to the lives of today's young people, and their children in the future.

Speaking Out For Children

Save the Children works with, and on behalf of, children to make sure their rights are respected internationally, nationally and locally. We help children to communicate their needs to community leaders, parents, teachers and government officials, and persuade adults to take children seriously. We make every effort to convince those with power and influence to create a better world for children.

 
CASE STUDY: UNITED NATIONS

The groundbreaking United Nations Study on Violence against Children aimed to increase awareness of the violence faced by children, and proposed steps to eradicate the problem. Our contributions to the study were based on the real experiences and fears children tell us about. We ensured that young people from 19 countries joined the launch debate at the United Nations in New York. Simultaneously, we facilitated a children's day of action in 60 countries to raise awareness of the violence faced by children around the world. In Honduras, 350 influential adults joined more than 100 children and adolescents at a special launch event.

Involving Children

Save the Children uses many different approaches to improve the lives of girls and boys. In all of our programmes, we encourage children and their families
to participate in research, planning and decision-making, and we find solutions together. These contributions are invaluable in ensuring our activities meet children's needs. We firmly believe that children should be active members of society and have a right to be involved in matters concerning their well-being.

 
CASE STUDY: PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Preventing new HIV infections is a key to tackling AIDS. As young people are the group most likely to be infected by HIV, we feel they must play a leading role in fighting its spread. Our Youth Outreach Project in Papua New Guinea trains groups of 15 to 25 year-olds in HIV/AIDS peer education. Once trained, these young people propose community-based activities to inform and educate their peers about HIV risks and practical prevention.

Independence and Collaboration

Save the Children is an independent organisation with no religious or political affiliations. This gives us a strong, impartial voice. However, we cannot act alone. We work with governments and with local, national and international organisations to improve children's lives
directly and to influence the policies and practices of others. Our commitment to building the capacity of local
organisations is core to our beliefs and way of operating.

 
CASE STUDY: 2004 INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI

Our work in areas affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami involves co-operation with 49 different partner organisations in India alone. We work together to make the most of our resources, and to make the biggest positive changes for local communities. Some of our partners are reconstruction experts but do not have a background in working with children specifically, so we have conducted specialist training on issues such as child protection. In the Dominican Republic, with the help of local and international partners, we were able to upgrade the aqueducts that bring water to the Matayaya community. This has improved the quality of life for some 800 families.