World's Children Autumn Edition 2012 by Save the Children Australia

AUTUMN '12

World’s Children

Promoting Reconciliation • Jack's story • Trekking for kids

Thanks

to our partners Kent Moving & Storage is Australia's largest family owned moving company and is also one of Save the Children Australia’s newest corporate partners. Kent is committed to improving the lives of children around the world and for every move that is booked through their website they’ll donate $10 to help children get a better start in life. They have guaranteed to raise at least $20,000 for Save the Children Australia in the next 12 months. Thank you Kent! Save the Children is proud to be working with Accenture in many areas around the world. They have recently strengthened their support of our work and have pledged $50,000 to help young Indigenous Australians in our Alternative Education program in Glebe, New South Wales. The donation will provide young people with the skills to gain further education and employment. We are delighted to team with Accenture and look forward to working with them as they provide positive role models for young people in Glebe. Thank you to IKEA for another year of support through the annual Soft Toy Campaign, which continues to raise funds to give children around the world an education. For every IKEA Soft Toy purchased during November and December 2011, IKEA donated one euro to our global education programs. In Australia, IKEA stores also ran "give twice" activities, where customers could choose to give back the soft toy they'd purchased. The gifts were then given to children in Save the Children's programs around the country. Cover Photo: Children play at our kindergarten in Victoria. Photo: Robert McKechnie/ Save the Children Australia Save the Children Australia is fully accredited by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the Australian Government agency responsible for managing Australia’s overseas aid program. Save the Children Australia is a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and is a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct. The Code requires members to meet high standards of corporate governance, public accountability and financial management. This magazine is printed on 100% recycled fibre and is Australian made. No chlorine bleaching occurs. In the absence of a contrary statement; the programs represented in this publication, by way of photograph or other reference, are programs which are managed by either Save the Children Australia or Save the Children International members and/or their partners (to which Save the Children Australia may have contributed). In the instance of programs managed by Save the Children International, the contribution value provided by Save the Children Australia varies depending on each program and its location. All material presented in this publication is the intellectual property of Save the Children Australia and/or Save the Children

International unless otherwise stated. Photos copyright Save the Children unless otherwise stated. Material in this magazine may only be reproduced with the express permission of Save the Children Australia. To protect identities, some names, details and photos may have been changed. All inquiries should be directed to the Marketing Department, Save the Children Australia.

Save the Children is Australia’s leading independent emergency relief and development organisation for children. We save and protect children’s lives and strive to give every child a safe and happy childhood.

AUTUMN

editorial It is thanks to you, our generous supporters, that we can continue our life-changing work for children and their families. I’d like to thank each and every one of you for your ongoing support. Together, we really are creating a world where every child has a safe and happy childhood. With your support, this year we are continuing our focus on maternal and child health. By training health workers to deliver basic services to those who would otherwise miss out, we can help mothers survive childbirth and diagnose and treat illnesses that children shouldn’t die of, such as diarrhoea. Trained health workers also educate mothers and the wider community on why health care is so important. Closer to home, our early childhood education and child protection programs in Australia will be a priority. Our Playscheme program will continue to provide early childhood education to those who need it most. The program currently runs in more than 80 locations throughout the country, in urban and rural environments.

Suzanne Dvorak Chief Executive Ofﬁcer

You may also notice a new ‘look’ to Save the Children Australia, with new colours and visuals. The change better represents our work for and with children. The four colours – red, blue, yellow and green – embodies the vibrant colours children play with, whether it be in painting, colouring or other fun childhood activities. We hope you enjoy our new look. I look forward to working with you this year to help even more children access our health, education, child protection and emergency relief programs. Again, thank you for your continued and generous support.

INSIDE 02 PROMOTING RECONCILIATION Opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children 04 AUSTRALIA PROGRAMS Jack’s story of hope 06 EVENTS Trekking for kids

08 INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS Health workers save lives

10 EMERGENCIES What's happening on the ground 12 CAMPAIGN UPDATE 14 VOLUNTEERS & MEMBERS 16 SHOP WITH US Easter and Mother's Day gifts

Opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

Promoting Reconciliation

A child on their way to our Waringarri Chilling Space program in Kununurra, Western Australia. Photo: Jim Holmes/Save the Children Australia

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We are committed to improving education and protection outcomes for marginalised children in Australia. On a range of indicators, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children remain the most disadvantaged in communities throughout Australia.

consultation with employees and community partners, Save the Children Australia joined more than 100 corporates, government departments and community and education organisations in launching a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

Save the Children Australia works with families, communities and government departments to overcome disadvantage and give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children opportunities to thrive.

Our RAP aims to:

In education and child protection programs across Australia, around one third of the children we work with are from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, and more than 19% of our national workforce are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Community organisations and government departments alike recognise our strengths in working in partnership and fostering connections to culture. In June last year, after months of

• continually improve our programs in Australia • create an inclusive workplace • strengthen community partner organisations • promote Reconciliation and rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. In the first six months, we can proudly report good progress on many actions. So far in the life of our RAP, we’ve celebrated Reconciliation at dozens of community events, more than 30 staff members have taken part in targeted professional development initiatives, and we’ve advocated for child rights and programs for

AWARD

Did you know... Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are: • up to six times more likely to be the subject of a child protection order. • up to 28 times more likely to be in juvenile detention. • up to three times more likely to die in their ﬁrst year of life. • more likely to struggle at school. Only 36% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children complete their Year 12 or equivalent. Program highlights: • Our School Attendance program in Ceduna and Darwin is achieving great outcomes. In Darwin, many

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families at national and state-based forums. A Reconciliation Advisory Committee, which brings together staff from around the country, met twice last year.

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of the children in our program are now attending primary school 80% of the time, up from a baseline of around 20% for some of the children. In Halls Creek, we are working in a consortium with two Aboriginal community organisations to manage a new Children and Family Centre with the Government of Western Australia. In communities like Ceduna in South Australia, we’ve helped to bring the community together to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture during Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week.

There is still more to be done and we look forward to working with communities to build on this progress. For more information or to read our Reconciliation Action Plan in full, visit savethechildren.org.au/reconciliation

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WINNING

We’re proud to be winners of the NAB Schools First Impact Award for the Northern Territory, in partnership with Millner Primary School in Darwin. Save the Children Australia and four other community organisations are supporting the school and community to improve school participation and learning outcomes by providing support to Aboriginal children and families. Judges described the program as an ‘excellent example of a partnership where everyone is working towards a common goal – to give disadvantaged children an education’. Betty Shepherd, who coordinates the program in Darwin, was thrilled to receive the award from NAB at a special ceremony in Melbourne. Betty is a member of Save the Children’s Reconciliation Advisory Committee and a long-time member of our programs team in the Northern Territory.

SNAP- Jack’s story SHOT of hope • The learning and experiences a child has in their early years is critical to their future. • Play-based learning is recognised as an effective approach to promote learning and development in the early years. • Our Family Support Workers assist families with support, advice and links to other services. • Our Playscheme program runs in over 80 locations throughout Australia, in urban, rural and remote areas. • The program reaches disadvantaged communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and newly arrived migrant and refugee families. • The program has been running in Australia for more than 30 years. • All of our Playschemes are free of charge, which means everyone can take part.

Look Learn more about our work in Australia at savethechildren.org.au/ australia

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When three-year-old Jack first arrived at our Playscheme program he would cry, run to the door, cling onto mum and not make eye-contact or speak to anyone. Mum Maryanne had been to many community playgroups and felt that she didn't fit in. “I felt Jack was distracting the other families," she said. Then one day she found our Playscheme program. "When I came to the Save the Children Playscheme it felt different, staff were lovely and understanding.” It was here that Maryanne felt safe to discuss her concerns about Jack's development. "I saw that there was something different with Jack from about 18 months old. That he developed differently to the other children,” said Maryanne. Staff recommended that Maryanne see a paediatrician to discuss her concerns, and kept in regular contact with her throughout the process. Following three months of assessment the family was told that Jack has Autism. Our staff linked the family with specific support services for children with additional needs. They also provided them with information on how to encourage growth and development in children with a developmental delay, suggested specific music and

gym programs to help Jack, and provided Maryanne with ‘emotion cards’ which show faces such as happy, sad, worried and grumpy. Maryanne has since put the emotion cards on the fridge so that instead of having a ‘meltdown’ Jack can point to the card and show how he is feeling. Mum and Jack use these cards every day. Now at the Playscheme Mum and our staﬀ have noticed that Jack enters the room with a relaxed look, is able to stay for periods of time at each activity, and doesn’t run out the door. Mum said Jack is now making eyecontact with people and is starting to say a few words. At times he will sit on Mum’s lap and do the actions to the songs and nursery rhymes with the other children. Maryanne said that Jack has learnt a lot from the routine in our program. He now knows to pack up toys before moving onto the music session, and has learnt to wash his hands for morning tea. “The other day he washed his hands and without me having to say anything he sat down at the table for something to eat! He now knows that washing hands means time to eat. No more meltdowns here," said Maryanne. Because of our program, Mum feels more conﬁdent that Jack will be able to do well at kinder.

"The Playscheme has helped Jack and our family by providing an excellent support system and learning environment for him to improve his social and development skills. Thanks for all your help throughout the year. I really appreciate it. You provide a fantastic service,” said Maryanne.

Richard, our Family Support Worker, interacts with a child at our Playscheme program in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria. Photo: Robert McKechnie/Save the Children Australia.

Our Playscheme program Save the Children Australia’s Playscheme program is a regular playgroup with structured activities staffed by early childhood workers. Some of our Playschemes, such as the one Jack attends, is an Intensive Supported Playscheme which has Family Support Workers. These workers get to know families during the two-hour weekly play session and provide extra support, advice and links to services where needed. Our Playscheme program runs in over 80 locations throughout Australia in rural, remote and urban areas, giving thousands of children access to fun, yet valuable, learning activities. It receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, our Imagine donors, and philanthropic and corporate partners.

THANK YOU Our programs working with young people in Tasmania were given a significant boost in November 2011 with the announcement that the Tasmanian Community Fund will provide $100,000 to our Supporting Young People on Bail program. This program works with first time offenders aged 10 to 17 years to help them re-engage with education, training and positive recreational pursuits to break the cycle of offending and get their lives back on track. Thank you Tasmanian Community Fund.

Participants pictured in front of the stunning Himalayan mountains.

Trekking for kids “IT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING, UPLIFTING AND HUMBLING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. THE CHILDREN'S SMILES SAY IT ALL. THANK YOU SAVE THE CHILDREN,” SAID LUCKY

Sally Roberts, Partnership Coordinator at Save the Children Australia, led a team of 21 wonderful volunteers on a charity challenge through Nepal. She tells us about the amazing experience and how the volunteers’ fundraising efforts will help children improve their health and education. Well, we did it. 21 volunteers, 41 sherpas, porters and Save the Children staff trekking the stunning Annapurna Ranges, visiting Save the Children health programs, bussing and hiking into a very remote village, and working alongside the local community to build a school for their children. What an incredible experience. With participants ranging from 15 to 65 years of age, hailing from Tasmania to Queensland, nurses to carpenters, our volunteers were

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certainly a varied bunch! They had earned their place on the trip by fundraising thousands of dollars each for our programs. The fi rst part of our trip involved scenic trekking. But on Day Five, we woke up ready for the reason that everyone had worked so hard for – the project visits. We drove an hour out of Duhlikel and were shocked to see the rundown state of the old health clinic that had been used up until a month ago. We then walked through the village

Look See the fun and excitement on the 2011 Nepal Trek video at savethechildren.org.au/charitychallenge

NEXT EVENT

A child plays with his new toy.

and saw the wonderful new health centre supported by Save the Children. The new centre is big, clean and very inviting for new mothers. Some of the funds raised by the participants will support training Village Health Workers – locals who do home visits and reach areas that do not have easy access to health facilities. The money will also buy equipment for birthing centres and to create materials to help mothers understand the importance of breastfeeding. It was then onto a school construction site where, for the next two days, we worked extremely hard to lay the foundations for a school. We dug, we picked, we moved rocks, we pulled down the mountain! All the while we had the help of the local town people – giggling school girls, singing mothers, hardworking gentleman. It was an incredible joining of two very different cultures working on the same purpose – to bring education to the lives of children in the village.

The remaining funds raised from the trip will be spent on education programs in Nepal, including refurbishing and constructing schools and a school library, building toilets and drinking-water stations, and buying education materials. The participants had brought presents, which were given to the school principal to share with the children ...and then the fun started! The kids began kicking the footy, throwing basketballs and tried to learn the yo-yo, all the while being enthralled by us. A big thank you to all of the 21 brilliant volunteers who took the time, energy and effort to fundraise over $95,000 for the children of Nepal, and for helping to start the school construction. You will be remembered forever in the hearts of many Nepalese people, just as I am sure they have all snuck their way into your hearts now too.

• Nepal Trek 2012: 10-23 November • Help raise money for our programs in Nepal • Trek through the stunning Himalayas • Volunteer and get ﬁrsthand experience visiting our programs • Experience the fulﬁllment of volunteering in international aid. Contact Sally on sally.roberts@ savethechildren.org.au or 03 9938 2040 for more information.

A grateful mother says thank you to Village Health Worker Sasen. Photo: Ben Bohane/Save the Children Australia

FAST FACTS Health workers s • 80% of Vanuatu’s 240,000 people live in remote villages scattered on 80 islands, each separated by many miles of sea. • ‘Aids Posts’ are informal health facilities run by a Village Health Worker. Save the Children and the Vanuatu Ministry of Health train Village Health Workers so they can provide basic health care to their communities. • For the majority of people in rural areas, ‘Aid Posts’ are the only health facility available. There are 211 Aid Posts throughout the country.

Sasen’s story

Sasen lives on Erromango Island, Vanuatu. His Aid Post is the only health service on the island. He provides basic health care to 70 people in his village and more than 500 people in 16 nearby villages.

“I attended 10 weeks of training by Save the Children and the Ministry of Health that really expanded my knowledge. I was also given a manual, basic equipment and medicine for the Aid Post.”

“Growing up I saw many sick people dying because there weren’t any health workers nearby to help them. Our island and villages are very isolated with difficult access to transport and any health service. I was determined to become a Village Health Worker to help my people,” Sasen said.

Sasen is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He walks from village to village to help the sick. At the moment he is treating cases of diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, scabies and malaria. He also helps mothers during pregnancy and childbirth. He refers serious cases to the health centre or hospital on nearby islands.

“I was determined to become a Village Health Worker to help my people,” said Sasen

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PROFILE

Life in Vanuatu Most remote villages in Vanuatu do not have electricity or running water. They use kerosene to light up their huts and collect water from nearby streams, wells, tanks and rivers. This water is a major cause of illnesses such as diarrhoea, scabies and other skin diseases.

In Vanuatu, health centres and hospitals are located on larger islands, so villagers who live on remote islands have to travel by speedboat or plane to see a health professional. It’s something most can’t aﬀord. This is where Village Health Workers, like Sasen, save lives. They provide basic health care to their communities and run an ‘Aid Post’, which is essentially a small health clinic for villagers who would otherwise miss out.

Catherine Ojo Save the Children's 2011 Midwife of the Year

ave lives He is also responsible for educating communities on basic health, such as the importance of hand washing and keeping homes clean to reduce the spread of infections. “Village Health Workers are the people closest to the communities and the fi rst to come in contact with any health problem. They know their communities better and are well informed of the health problems at the grassroots level,” said Mr Ben Taura, Shefa Acting Health Manager from our local government partner. Save the Children and the Ministry of Health, with funding from AusAID, has recently upgraded or rebuilt 12 Aid Posts with local materials. We aim to refurbish or rebuild 211 Aid Posts by 2015.

Annie’s story Annie was visiting her family in a nearby village when she felt contractions. “My sister-in-law kept rubbing my back and telling me to push out the baby onto the mat where she was ready with her hands to catch the baby,” Annie said. The baby was delivered safely, but there were complications for Annie. Straight away, a message was sent to Sasen in the next village. It took Sasen one hour to walk, with a torch, through thick bush to reach Annie. "I was scared, I thought I was going to die. I looked at my baby, I felt sad for the baby and myself too. If it wasn't for Sasen, I don't know what would have happened to me." Annie said. Sasen helped Annie through her complications and she is now healthy, as is her newborn baby girl, Tina.

Catherine works as a chief nursing oﬃcer at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Northern Nigeria and started a Special Care Baby Unit at the hospital. She is Save the Children’s 2011 Midwife of the Year, which recognises midwives working on the frontlines for newborn survival in resource-challenged countries. The majority of the world’s maternal and newborn deaths occur in low income countries and midwives are crucial to reducing these deaths. She is pictured here with Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Perth in October 2011. Photo: John Donegan/CHOGM

Actions for you Donate using the form on the back of this magazine, online at savethechildren.org.au or by calling 1800 76 00 11

Umi is now a healthy little girl. Photo Save the Children

Emergencies

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening on the ground

News update in brief: We have provided over 27 million litres of clean water to children and families in East Africa.

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Philippines Floods December 2011 Save the Children responded to flash flooding triggered by a tropical storm. We distributed more than 3,400 family hygiene kits and more than 4,000 water kits to families. We also held â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;infant feeding in emergencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; refresher sessions for local health workers and, with UNICEF and local partners, set up breastfeeding tents in evacuation centres.

Thailand & Cambodia Floods October 2011 The heaviest monsoon rains in decades caused massive flooding in Thailand and Cambodia. In Thailand, we reached over 20,000 children and their families with food, education kits, nappies and mosquito nets. In Cambodia, we distributed relief kits to 12,800 families, created temporary learning centres for 10,000 children and established mobile health stations.

Pakistan Floods September 2011 Sindh province in Pakistan was badly affected by the catastrophic 2010 floods that destroyed millions of families' livelihoods, and less than a year later the province was again hit with torrential flooding. To date we have reached over 930,000 people with shelter, emergency health kits and household kits including soap, buckets and blankets and, in partnership with the World Food Program, distributed over 900 tonnes of food.

East Africa Food Crisis 2011

Emerg ency Update

WITHOUT YOU THIS SIMPLY ISN'T POSSIBLE

Thank you to our supporters who donated so generously to this appeal. With the Australian Government’s Horn of Africa Dollar for Dollar initiative 2011, we were able to assist even more children at risk.

solution, and referred her to the hospital immediately,” said Daniel a Save the Children health worker. “At the hospital they gave Umi a feeding tube, an oral nutritional supplement and antibiotics.”

when her mother brought her to the Save the Children supported health clinic. She weighed just 1.7kg.

I have a healthy daughter and I’m so happy,” said Umi’s mother.

ast Africa E Now, Umi is a smiling, healthy nineUmi is just one of these children. s risi Cshe od old Fomonths month-old baby girl. At three was malnourished, dehydrated, and te was so sick that day d p cy U “Myadaughter rgen ebronchial suﬀering from pneumonia Em that she was almost dying. But today “We gave Umi antibiotics and a sugar

After she was released from hospital,

News update in brief: We have reached over 2.5 million people across East Africa.

Philippines Typhoons Sept and Oct 2011 Typhoon Nesat and Typhoon Nalgae hit the Philippines just days apart. Four million people were affected, and food crops and water systems were destroyed. We have distributed more than 5,000 jerry cans with purified water, family hygiene kits, and back-to-school kits.

Japan Earthquake March 2011 A major earthquake and tsunami hit the north-east of Japan, compounded by a nuclear crisis in Fukushima. The Government of Japan met many of the population's needs and we stepped in to fi ll the gaps, addressing the specific needs of children. We provided support including child friendly spaces, back-to-school materials, family hygiene kits and first aid kits.

Cote d’Ivoire & Liberia Refugee Crisis 2011 The post-electoral crisis in Cote d'Ivoire sparked a major humanitarian crisis. One million people – including at least 500,000 children – were forced to flee their homes, some crossing the border into Liberia. We established 26 child friendly spaces, provided child protection training to children and adults, and set up safe early childhood and primary school learning spaces.

a Save the Children nutritionist and community worker visited the family daily to educate them on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, as this was the best way to ensure Umi didn’t become malnourished again. We also provided Umi with high-nutrient peanut paste to help her gain weight.

THANK YOU

A special thank you to our Children’s Emergency Fund supporters who, in the last six months of 2011, contributed $420,000 to 11 emergency responses. Your support helped us respond quickly to the urgent needs of children and families. Thanks to your support we were able to provide emergency relief such as shelter, clean water, hygiene items, basic health services, child friendly spaces and access to education.

Actions for you Become a Children's Emergency Fund supporter today and help children and families when the next disaster strikes. savethechildren.org.au/cef

Campaign Update

The Schools Competition finalists. Photo: Robert McKechnie/Save the Children Australia.

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Born to knit Thank you to each and every one of you who knitted squares or full blankets for our Born to Knit campaign. The 3,377 blankets you knitted are now being distributed to mothers and children through our health programs in India, Laos and Cambodia. Your blanket will help a child stay

warm and feel comfy and safe. Most importantly, your blanket will help to ward against pneumonia, one of the biggest killers of children under five in the developing world. Visit savethechildren.org.au/ borntoknit for updates on our next knitting campaign.

A life free from hunger Malnutrition is an underlying cause in one-third of all child deaths annually and a critical factor for children's overall growth and development. With only four years left to reach Millennium Development Goal four, we must tackle malnutrition in order to achieve this goal. To highlight this issue, Save the Children has published a report, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A Life Free From Hungerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, focusing on the impact of hunger and malnutrition on children's lives. Download the report at savethechildren.org.au/hiddencrisis

Schools Competition Thanks to Patons, Save the Children ran an exciting competition that encouraged primary and secondary schools to knit as many blankets as they could. We had an overwhelming response! Blankets came in from schools right across the country, and we enjoyed seeing the beautiful colours and patterns. Thank you to every single teacher and student involved. Your contribution has helped us add an additional 853 blankets to our ﬁnal tally. That’s an additional 853 blankets to keep children warm.

Congratulations to the winners: 1st Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School. They spent the $10,000 prize to employ an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. 2nd Elmore Primary School. They spent the $6,000 prize to purchase technological equipment to help deliver high quality learning experiences for their students. 3rd Merri Creek Primary School. They spent the $4,000 prize on developing the schools sustainability and creative programs.

Every child deserves a ride of passage A few years ago author Colin Thompson visited Cambodia with Save the Children. Struck by the way the humble bicycle was central to so many people lives, he was inspired to create The Bicycle, a beautifully illustrated book for kids and adults alike. The Bicycle, Colin's second picture book for Save the Children, features illustrations from internationally acclaimed artists – including Quentin Blake, Shaun Tan, Tony Ross and Freya Blackwood – which celebrate the liberating joy of two wheels. Sprinkled throughout are delightful quotes from well-known people, as well as quotes from Cambodian

World Kids Colouring Day

children such as 14-year-old Dany, who describes his bicycle as his “best friend”.

STAEDTLER and Save the Children are joining forces once again with World Kids Colouring Day (WKCD). In this global colouring campaign, children in Australia are invited to colour and at the same time raise money to help disadvantaged children in Australia. STAEDTLER and Save the Children are calling on all teachers, educators and parents to organise their own Worlds Kids Colouring Day in schools, kindergartens and at home to support disadvantaged Australian children. Visit savethechildren.org. au/WKCD for more details.

A bicycle is a symbol of fun, simplicity, colour, adventure, freedom and happiness – everything a childhood should be fi lled with. Yet just as the humble bicycle can give all of these experiences and feelings to children, it can also represent what many of the world's children simply do not have. Purchase The Bicycle to help us continue our work for children in Australia and around the world. Visit savethechildren.org.au/ bicycle today.

THANKS TO YOU Marion Grasby Celebrity Apprentice is going to be one wild ride...but behind all the craziness is an incredible opportunity to raise money and awareness for a charity that's close to my heart... Save the Children Australia.

Geoﬀrey Church C’mon Australia “Save the Children” they are our future Ahmed Chmait This is a great charity to support and care for the people who are less fortunate in the world we live in. To give them hope and what they need to survive is not only providing a better future for them but it is also one of the kind hearted things that people can do. Life Love Laughter Ink You do the most amazing job...well done to all involved! X

Without you, our work simply can’t happen. We want everyone to know about your wonderful support. Shout out #isave online so we know you’re there.

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Volunteers are critical to what we do. Photo: Val Marsden.

Volunteers & Members Last year our wonderful volunteers contributed more than 160,000 hours of work throughout Australia and our branches, which are run by Members, raised more than $500,000 towards creating a brighter future for children. These amazing eﬀorts really show why volunteers and Members are so vitally important to us. Olga Edwards is a wonderful example of our volunteers. She recruits and trains fellow volunteers in our Margate, Queensland, retail store. She’s been managing the store for many years, taking great pride in serving her customers and sharing the work of Save the Children. Members are an active voice in their communities, raising funds for children and spreading the message about Save the Children’s work in their own circles. Beth Wood, one of our

Members in the Maryborough branch, Victoria, has hardly missed an Annual General Meeting in 64 years! This commitment and dedication is just one of the reasons why our Members are so valuable to us. Without the involvement of these special groups of people, we couldn’t operate as eﬃciently as we do or achieve what we do for children. In fact, what you may not know, is Save the Children was actually founded by a volunteer, Eglantyne Jebb, way back in 1919.

Actions for you

• Become a volunteer today! Visit savethechildren.org.au/volunteer • Become a Member today! Visit savethechildren.org.au/member

Volunteering story Debra 27, from Victoria, has been volunteering with Save the Children Australia for the last 12 months on many projects including administration and fundraising for our East Africa Food Crisis appeal. “I believe my role not only supports the children involved in Save the Children programs, it also increases the awareness within my own local community,” said Debra. “I attended a volunteering presentation by Save the Children and I instantly felt inspired to volunteer. I signed up on the spot.

“Volunteering is a way to strengthen the community and motivate us all to work together to improve the lives of children.

THANK YOU

“Save the Children has given me the opportunity to do my bit. It has been a wonderful experience working closely with Save the Children to see all the positive outcomes volunteer support does. “I highly recommend everyone to get involved. It’s a great feeling to know that my time is actually saving children’s lives.”

Jim Cain Save the Children supporter

Jim (centre of picture), who is in his 90’s, gave us a very generous gift to our East Africa Food Crisis appeal (which was doubled with the Australian Government’s Horn of Africa Dollar for Dollar initiative 2011).

Kenneth's wonderful gift This story starts over two years ago when we heard from one of our supporters, Kenneth Laycock. He wrote to us to say he had included a gift to Save the Children in his Will. After much deliberation, he thoughtfully decided to leave most of his worldly belongings to help extend Save the Children's work in Africa after his death. In November 2010, at the age of 79, Kenneth sadly passed away. However, his memory and charity lives on. Save the Children received Kenneth's fi nal gift to children in September 2011, an amazing $313,736. His truly remarkable and generous gift will undoubtedly save the lives of countless children struggling to survive in East Africa.

Kenneth's wonderful gift serves as a powerful reminder to us all that including a charitable gift in your Will can transform the lives of children long into the future.

Seeking more support We’ll be writing to some of our supporters over the course of this year, asking you to consider including a gift to Save the Children in your Will. In the meantime, if you would like to fi nd out how a gift in your Will could help, please get in touch with our Gifts in Wills Team on 1800 76 00 11 or take a look at the information on our website savethechildren.org.au/ giftsinwills

His son, Christopher (pictured left), explained that while the donation was a large proportion of his Dad’s savings, Jim wanted to see his money beneﬁt children rather than sit in his bank account. Claire Sanford from our Emergencies team (pictured right) visited Jim to personally thank him for his generous gift. It was a very humbling experience to meet Jim and hear the reasons for his donation. With Jim’s generous gift we have been able to assist many more children suffering in the food crisis. Thank you Jim and to all of you who support our work. You really are saving children’s lives.

Easter While Christmas might feel like yesterday, Easter is around the corner. Have a look at the full range on our online shop savethechildren.org.au/shop

EW S 3 NO UR FLAV

$6.95 Premium fair trade chocolate: Milk Chocolate GM-C-052 White Almond GM-C-053 Milk Hazelnut GM-C-054 Also available in: Dark Chocolate GM-C-049 Dark Mint GM-C-050 Dark Almond GM-C-051

$13.95 each HW-TF-BP $34.95 3pk HW-TF-BP3 Roll on body paint that is actually soap! Made with natural ingredients. Available in blue, green, red.

NE TO BW UY

$6.00 $120.00

Build your own Pteranodon! No glue required. CG-WD-P

A life changing act for the family with everything. WL-VSK-017

$14.95 Truly beautiful DIY paper ďŹ&#x201A;owers (3 ďŹ&#x201A;owers per kit). PT-004

NEW Y TO BU

$27.99 A beautifully illustrated book in aid of Save the Children. Save the Children Australia's Supporter Magazine

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Mother's Day Sunday 8 May is one of the most important days on the calendar. Here are some lovely ways to show Mum just how much you love her. See savethechildren.org.au/shop for the full range.

What are “Life Saving Acts”?

NEW TO BUY

$29.95 A gift box with a soy wax candle and botanical soap in an uplifting blend of lemongrass, lemon myrtle, grapefruit & eucalyptus. GU-UR-GP

If, as a child, you remember smiling ﬁt to burst, the delight of a parent's hug or the warmth of a bedtime story, you will know how important these things are to a child's wellbeing.

$95.00 $7.95 Elegant pencil tipped with a Swarovski crystal for the chic at heart.

Nothing says it better than a life saving ‘Hug’. WL-VSK-016

When you purchase a ‘Life Saving Act’ you get a beautiful gift card to send to your recipient explaining just what sort of a diﬀerence they are helping to make to a child most in need.

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NE TO BW UY $31.50 Show Mum just how much you love her with a Mother’s Day Gift Set. Includes a ‘One Huge Smile’ life saving act and a heart tipped pencil. PSC-005

To order: Online: savethechildren.org.au/shop Write to: Save the Children, PO Box 2802, Fitzroy, VIC 3065 Phone: (03) 8417 1400

Postage & Handling Rates Life Saver Cards only (5 cards max) Subtotal of orders less than $15 Subtotal of orders between $15.01 and $30 Subtotal of orders between $30.01 and $75 Subtotal of orders over $75.01

$3.00 $6.00 $10.00 $15.00 $20.00

FREE DELIVERY for orders over $100 received by APRIL 15! Discount code: WorldsChildren

$12.95 Each pocket size pad comes with a handy pen. Black & white S-SN-BW

Coloured stripes S-SN-CL

AUTUMN '12

Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Children Health workers save lives

$80 could provide a toolkit for a health worker to diagnose and treat common illnesses like diarrhoea.

Sasen provides basic health care to 70 people in his village and more than 500 people in 16 nearby villages. He walks from village to village treating the sick and providing education on staying healthy. At the moment he is treating cases of diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, scabies and malaria. He also helps mothers during pregnancy and childbirth.

$150 could train a health worker like Sasen to save children's and mother's lives.

See pages 8-9 for more on Sasen and how health workers save lives.

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