Emergency Response
Syrian Kids, Lebanese Schools: A New “Normal”
When we came inside the tent, the Syrian family of eight welcomed us warmly and urged us to sit close to the small stove in the center for warmth. While the weather had improved from the previous weeks when a winter storm dropped several inches of snow and temperatures dropped below freezing, it […]
New Boots Bring Hope in Jordan
The kindergarten inside the Za’atari camp in Jordan is a little island of happiness inside a place that is full of tragedy. Here, 3-5 year-old Syrian children living in the huge camp are able to come three times per week in the morning or afternoon to have fun, build social skills and start learning. The […]
Courageous Work in Freezing Temperatures
With more than half of the United States under a blanket of snow this week, it’s clear that winter is here! The frosty weather has arrived in full force—but it’s not just the Midwest or East Coast where winter is making itself felt. The winter snow storms have started in Lebanon and Jordan, and my […]
On the Ground in the Philippines: Helping Kids after Typhoon Haiyan
This morning, children and families in the Philippines woke up to another day of fear, uncertainty
With No Way to Return Home, Syrian Refugees in Iraq Live in Limbo
The boy standing in the cement block doorway called to us to take his picture. We couldn’t resist his bright smile in the bleak and dust of the refugee camp. We went over and snapped a few shots and he looked at them proudly on our cell phones. His uncle, who was hovering close by, […]
In Refugee Camps, Basics Become Luxuries
The Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan is home to more than 100,000 refugees who have fled the fighting in Syria, but it’s unlikely that any of the camp’s residents consider this place—cold, crowded and under resourced—“home.” I traveled to Za’atari last week after the launch of Save the Children’s recent global report, Childhood Under […]
Sandy Hook Elementary School Tragedy: Coming Together to Protect Children
Save the Children has worked to ensure the safety and well-being of children around the world for nearly 100 years. We work with children all over the world who have been dramatically affected by war, crisis and violence. We believe that every child has the right to a safe and vibrant childhood. We applaud President […]
Talking to Your Kids about Sandy Hook
We are all shocked and saddened by the tragedy of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, yesterday. Our thoughts are with the affected children and families. Save the Children staff is now on site in Newtown, offering assistance if needed. We have set up a Child Friendly Space, where […]
The Tough Got Going: Managing a Disaster, Inside and Out
You know that old cliché: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” I recently saw evidence of this in spades when Hurricane Sandy not only hit the Northeast—but also hit the Save the Children headquarters and, what’s worse, many of our staff members’ homes. It’s fascinating to see how people react when their […]
Keeping Kids Safe…Before and After Sandy
After my visit to a Red Cross shelter in New Jersey yesterday, I am more convinced than ever that we must urgently do a better job protecting kids in natural disasters than what we have done so far. Save the Children began emergency work in the US in a much bigger way after Hurricane […]
