Did you know that, right now across the globe, there are nearly 50 million children who have been uprooted from their homes and are in need?
Children are being separated from their parents at the United States Southern Border…
Kids and their families in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been relocated due to extremely high Ebola threats…
Families in Puerto Rico have been displaced since last year’s ravaging hurricane season…
And those instances are just scratching the surface when it comes to children in need of support and assistance around the world. Our own backyard is increasingly impacted by natural disasters as well as population movements. Here’s where the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) comes into play.
UNICEF has a long history of development work in the regions and will continue to be on the ground giving every child to opportunity to survive and thrive –not only during emergencies, but on a daily basis. There’s certainly a lot happening for UNICEF and for children around the world.
In more than 190 countries and territories around the world, UNICEF is recognized for putting the most effective and innovative ideas to work for. Overall, UNICEF's programs have helped reduce the number of child deaths by more than 50 percent since 1990.
WIOD spoke to UNICEF Spokesperson Jeremy Cole to get a better feel for the organization's impact on the world:
UNICEF’s mission is to give every child the opportunity to survive and thrive. From health, to nutrition to clean water and education – UNICEF works with partners on the ground to ensure that every child has what it takes to have a happy and healthy childhood.
- For kids on the move, UNICEF aims to ensure safety during potentially dangerous journeys, and then when they get to a country – the organization helps them get the medical attention and support
- When it comes to education, many refugee children have spent their entire lives in a refugee camp. To ensure that they have every opportunity to succeed, UNICEF ensures that they are provided with proper education
UNICEF is also working right here in South Florida. The organization says it’s giving SoFla’s youth a voice through high school and college clubs. Currently, there are over 4,000 students in South Florida getting active and saving lives through Kid Power – an initiative that reaches out to all of our diverse Florida communities to raise support for children’s rights.
Kid Power asks kids to wear UNICEF fit bands that track their steps and movement throughout the day. For every 12,000 steps they took, it unlocks nutrient dense food for malnourished children around the world to bring them back to good health -- aiming to keep kids active in developed countries and feed those in underdeveloped.
Want to get involved? UNICEF says:
- G-I-V-E. Whether it’s with your voice or wallet, every bit helps. You can create your own Fundraiser or donate.
- L-E-A-R-N about UNICEF’s many life-saving initiatives
- S-H-A-R-E. You can write about it, share on social etc.
For more information, click here.