The post From our classroom in NYC to 42 new classrooms around the world appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes.

The post Remembering fallen colleagues appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes.

The post Why I give: a supporter’s story appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes.

The post Why I give: a supporter’s story appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes.

Alisa Aydin is part of the interactive team at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Last week I was in Chicago for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF's Annual Meeting. I've been hard-pressed since then to write a "wrap-up" post (we promised one in our Twitter coverage) that would capture the learning and the comaraderie that was shared.

I'll start by recalling the intense emotion that bookended the event. First, there was the joy sparked by The Brown Sisters gospel performance -- a rousing kick-off for all of us. But we left the meeting on a more somber note -- reminded by CNN's Soledad O'Brien and UNICEF's Susan Bissell that among the hundreds of thousands of children affected by the Haiti earthquake are some 300,000 orphans who had already been abandoned or sold by their parents before the quake struck.

So we're offering a double feature for this week's Thursday video. Here's a clip from the CNN documentary "Rescued."

Now that you've raised your awareness, how about raising your spirits?

We also heard from UNICEF's Representatives in Ethiopia, Swaziland and Ghana, who shared startling statistics and the tailored, country-specific approach that UNICEF takes to address the causes of preventable deaths in each unique environment.

We celebrated with corporate and NGO partners and volunteers from the programs and campaigns that raised funds to support UNICEF's lifesaving work.

On the eve of its 60th anniversary, we learned the true origins of the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign that has been and still is so often the first volunteer experience for children in the United States.

There were also sessions on HIV/AIDS and maternal and child health. A session on U.S. initiatives addressed the range of domestic programs through which our education, advocacy and fundraising is effected.

It was a busy, eventful, and too-short gathering. It was also a great way to show our partners and supporters the strides we are making together to improve child survival and to motivate us all to keep up the pace to improve the lives we have worked to save.

The post Thursday video: celebration and solemnity at the UNICEF USA Annual Meeting appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes.

Elizabeth Kiem is the online producer for unicefusa.org.

This weekend, hundreds of innocent children became victims of sectarian violence in Nigeria. While more than 90 people have been arrested in connection to the massacre near Jos, it is feared that the killers may never come to justice. It is yet another instance of violence begetting violence with a great deal of help from impunity.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu knows first hand the dangers of impunity. The Nobel-prize winning cleric helped end the apartheid regime and led the South African nation to Truth and Reconciliation by striking a balance between amnesty and accountability.

Tutu was in New York yesterday to promote a new publication by UNICEF and Harvard Law. The book,'Children and Transitional Justice,' looks into the roles of international courts and truth commissions in dealing with crimes against children.

He sat down with UNICEF's James Elder for some thoughts on global priorities for safeguarding children, the beauty that may come from Haiti's calamity, and our collective guilt in allowing children to be so misused in the world today.

The post Desmond Tutu: “Make it impossible to turn children into slaves.” appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes.

The post Caryl Stern’s letter from Haiti appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes.

Warning - you will be humming this melody all day long. /p>

No, really - they're still humming it in space, where Lullaby, the new UNICEF anthem, was broadcast late last year,and where sound is notoriously long-lived but hard to hear.

You may have caught Lullaby earlier, on UNICEF's YouTube channel.

This week's Thursday video brings you the Lullaby reprise. A stunningly gorgeous video bedded with the same swelling theme composed by UNICEF Ambassador Steve Barakatt, "For Every Child" goes out to the children of THIS world - and to the very grounded governments and changemakers who are charged with ensuring the rights enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Enjoy, and feel free to hum along.

The post Thursday video: For Every Child (a lullaby) appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes.

Jennifer Bakody is an emergency communications specialist in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.She recently visited the Dario Contreras Hospital, which UNICEF is helping to support with doctors and supplies for Haitian children being treated for injuries after last month's earthquake.

The moment I arrived at the children's ward of Dario Contreras Hospital, I heard cries from the wounded. About a dozen injured young people lay in one room, some crammed two to a bed. Some had a parent by their side, some were alone. Amputated arms or legs were common, and it looked like almost everyone was in a cast. Blood-stained bandages were wrapped tightly around some heads. Other children were hooked to IV drips with medicines. One little boy had lost an eye.

The post Max in Santo Domingo appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes. ]]> http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2010/02/max_in_santo_domingo_1.html/feed 0 http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2010/02/sprinkles_appreciated_in_san_a.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sprinkles_appreciated_in_san_a http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2010/02/sprinkles_appreciated_in_san_a.html#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:12:24 +0000 Casey Rotter, UNICEF USA http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2010/02/sprinkles_appreciated_in_san_a.html Yesterday we arrived at a women's health clinic in San Cristobal just in time for a nutrition counselling session for mothers. The session at the San Andres Xecul clinic was held outside, and all the women wore beautiful traditional clothing, carrying their children on their backs or holding their hands. They played a learning game similar to 'hot potato,' only with an egg. Whoever was holding the egg when the drum stopped would have to answer a question. The counselor asked, "What is the importance of folic acid during pregnancy?" -"Healthy development of the baby" the mother replied. -"Is she right?" All the mothers clapped and yelled "Siii!" and the game began again. After the game we asked the mothers about Sprinkles (also called chispitas or microvitals). Our questions were translated into both Spanish and the mayan language, Kiche, so all the women could understand us. One mother told us Sprinkles "makes our children healthy.They have energy now, they have appetites and they aren't sick all the time." We observed the monthly weight monitoring. I helped a mother measure her daughter's height and I placed a 4-month-old on the scale to be weighed. "All looks great!" the doctor smiled. I can't describe how that moment felt. We saw doctors handing out Sprinkles packets to the mothers and we learned that Next Generation's $175,000 donation for Sprinkles will help this very clinic! Next Gen's fundaising and donations will allow this clinic to hire more (much needed) staff, train staff, provide needed measuring equipment and mas Sprinkles for these families AND thanks to Next Gen we will be able to provide for even more families! Muchas gracias Next Generation! The post Mothers of San Andres Xecul love Sprinkles! appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes. ]]> http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2010/02/sprinkles_appreciated_in_san_a.html/feed 0