25 January 2021
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War Child exists to protect, educate, and stand up for the rights of children – long after the TV cameras have gone home. With every sixth child on earth affected by armed conflict, War Childs work is more important than ever.
War Child has been supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery for over six years. Since 2013, players’ generosity has enabled the growth of the organisation and War Child’s ability to respond flexibly in emergencies across; Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Central African Republic (CAR).
Through the players' continued help and support, War Child is able to identify areas in which children need us most – such as in Afghanistan where children in Taliban-held areas are torn from their homes.
On-going conflict can have a severe impact on children’s development, their futures, and their access to the most basic of necessities such as medicine, food, and water. Decades of conflict in Afghanistan has torn thousands of children from their homes, forcing them to leave the safety and security of their family in search of work to help meet these needs.
The journey they take is dangerous for any child, travelling across Taliban held areas on to the Iran/Afghanistan border. There and on the journey, they face abuse, exploitation, and modern slavery and are often deported back to the border, left alone and afraid.
War Child recognise that no child should experience trauma or threat and have the right to a safe childhood – full of opportunity and potential. War Child is at the border, supporting these children and helping to get them safely home, while working to provide solutions that will allow people to build sustainable livelihoods in their communities, making these journeys a thing of the past.
Whether this is through the provision of essentials, delivering catch-up education classes, or giving access to apprenticeships and livelihoods training – War Child staff are doing everything they can to prevent children from being torn from home in search of work.
Until February 18th, all public donations will be matched pound for pound by the UK government. Find out more about War Child’s Torn From Home campaign.
More than £14.5 million has been raised for War Child thanks to players.