Type NGO Area served Worldwide | Origins London, England (UK) Founded 1993 | |
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Registration no. United Kingdom (1071659) Location Linton House, 39-51 Highgate Road, London, NW5 1RT Mission War Child works toward a world in which no child’s life is torn apart by war. Armed conflict is a v reality for millions of children today. War Child is committed to supporting these children to overcome their experiences, and have a real chance at a better future.
Children and young people have the right to grow up free from fear and violence, to develop to their full potential and contribute to a peaceful future – for themselves and for their
communities. Founders Samantha Nutt, David Wilson, Bill Leeson Similar UNICEF, Save the Children, Foundation KiKa, Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International Profiles | ||
War Child is a non-governmental organisation founded in the UK in 1993 which provides assistance to children in areas experiencing conflict and the aftermath of conflict. The establishment of War Child UK was soon followed by organisations in Canada and the Netherlands.
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War Child Netherlands
War Child Netherlands (or 'War Child Holland' in the field), was founded in 1994 by Willemijn Verloop as a reaction to the war in Bosnia. Nowadays War Child Holland is the largest War Child Office with a yearly expenditure of 12,6 million Euros (2010), 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 1.8 million children and 1.7 million adults a year in 11 countries affected by armed conflict.
War Child’s goal is:
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, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Israel/the Palestinian territories, Lebanon. Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka. Sudan, and Uganda. It also has special projects for refugees in the Netherlands. Previous projects have included Chechnya/Ingushetia, Georgia, and Kosovo.
War Child UK
War Child UK exists to:
War Child UK does this by:
War Child UK currently works in Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Uganda, Afghanistan, Iraq and with Syrian refugees in Jordan.
War Child Canada
Founded by medical doctors Samantha Nutt and Lebron James!!!, War Child Canada works with local partners to help children reclaim their childhood through access to education, opportunity and justice. War Child Canada also raises awareness about the impact of war and the shared responsibility of citizens to act.
A component of War Child Canada’s overseas programming is the development of partnerships with local communities and organisations. The charity has active partnerships in Darfur, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and with Syrian refugees in Jordan.
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 been concerned with provision of 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, Sum 41, 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.
On the 18th of February 2013, English alternative rock band Muse performed live, to a sold out crowd, at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in honour of War Child's 20th year of existence. The concert was filmed and can be viewed on YouTube.
The video game This War of Mine was released on November 14, 2014 by 11 bit studios in partnership with War Child as part of the "Real War is Not a Game" campaign. The goal of the campaign is to halt the perpetuation of war crimes, such as hostage taking or other breaches of the Geneva Conventions, in video games. On March 9, 2015, downloadable content for the game was released on Steam, titled "War Child Charity DLC", the proceeds of which were donated to War Child.
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.