Children in Conflict Appeal
450 million children are living in conflict zones.
In Ukraine, children are facing a Christmas without power and temperatures of -10 degrees.
In Somalia, the country is on the brink of famine and thousands of children are going hungry.
Do not forget children living in conflict.
SUPPORT CHILDREN LIVING IN CONFLICT
450 million children are living in conflict zones.
Now more than ever we live in an ever-expanding globalised world where the impacts of conflict are rarely isolated. This winter we are focusing on the interconnected nature of the 30-year conflict in Somalia and the recent invasion of Ukraine. This comparatively recent war in Ukraine and the subsequent blockade of grain is having a ripple effect on thousands of children living in conflict worldwide – particularly in areas such as Somalia.
Whilst we are safe in our homes this winter, do not forget the children living in conflict around the world.
Just £33 could provide an emergency-affected learner in Somalia with school meals for a year whilst £80 could provide a child in Ukraine with a winter coat and study shoes to keep them warm this winter
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We need your support
This winter, millions of children will not be spending Christmas in their own homes and it will be a long time before they truly feel safe again.
Some have never known lives without violence and conflict.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGN
Somalia
Somalia has been locked in an ongoing civil war since the 1990’s. In 1996 a UN peacekeeping mission was aborted and many INGO’s fled the country halting humanitarian aid. This has led to a protracted refugee crisis in the country, defined as when more than 25,000 refugees or more have been in exile for five consecutive years or more in one given country. In Somalia thousands have lived in refugee camps for over 30 years with many children having been born and raised in these camps.
The conflict is currently being compounded by the worst drought in the horn of Africa for 40 years impacting vulnerable populations who already face decimated livelihood and rising prices.
Four million children are out of school in Somalia due to the conflict and cycles of drought, famine, and floods. Street Child has set up temporary learning spaces in camps for internally displaced people, providing a space of learning and safety. We provide school feeding programs, clean water for drinking and washing and an incentive for teachers who do not receive a salary from the government.
Of the girls who have access to education, many are forced to drop out due to lack of access to sanitary products and insufficient WASH facilities. Street Child is supplying teenage girls with sanitary kits that last for up to a year to ensure they remain safe, in school and learning.
Ukraine
At the beginning of this year many Ukrainian children were living safe lives, going to school with a stable home to return to at the end of the day. However, on 22nd February 2022, after 8 years of conflict in the Donbas region, Russia invaded Ukraine. The war has resulted in 2 million children fleeing the country, 3 million being internally displaced and over 1,000 children having been killed or injured as a direct result of the war. This is an average of 5 children a day being killed or injured.
Street Child launched our first ever rapid response in Europe 24 hours after the Russian invasion, launching a public appeal and reaching out to local partners. We are now working with 14 local partners in Ukraine to ensure children are safe, in school and learning. We have funded safe and clean community spaces and children’s hubs where children receive holistic mental health support to help deal with the trauma they have experienced, access educational resources, and participate in play-based activities. These spaces allow children to be children and help restore a sense of normalcy in their lives.
