The following blog first appeared on The Huffington Post. _______________________ Every day, thousands of women celebrate one of life’s most amazing experiences — becoming a mother. But every 30 seconds a mother’s first moments with her baby are cut short, on the very day she gives birth. Until now, we didn’t know how common this [...]
Early this month I took my first trip to Abuja, Nigeria. Despite visiting almost 60 countries with Save the Children, I had never been to the West African nation. It is a country of over 162 million, one of the most populous in the region and seventh most populous in the world. With an average [...]
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 [...]
The following blog first appeared on The Huffington Post. _______________________ Last year, Time magazine’s “Are You Mom Enough?” cover practically shouted “Scandal! Women breastfeeding too long!” The unforgettable image stirred up controversy and I’m sure it sold magazines. But are moms and kids any better off? Now, imagine funneling all that outrage and punditry [...]
In 1987, Congress created a National Commission on Children tasked with assessing the status of children and families in America. This three-year Commission created some of the most meaningful and influential policies for children in modern American history, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the creation of the Children’s Health [...]
The following blog first appeared on The Huffington Post. _______________________ Awards season is in full swing. On Sunday night, Hollywood’s elite came together and celebrated last year’s accomplishments on the Big and Small screens at the 70th annual Golden Globe Awards. While millions from around the world tuned in and debated whether the most deserving [...]
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 [...]
Vietnam has made progress by leaps and bounds in the past decade, improving economic growth, boosting newborn and child survival rates and getting more kids in school. As I traveled throughout the country last week, I could see that this progress was rooted in the determination and industriousness of the Vietnamese people. They have worked [...]
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 [...]
The following blog first appeared on The Huffington Post. _______________________ #GivingTuesday is about cultivating generosity. Giving comes from an attitude of gratitude … and what better day for that than Thanksgiving? As Americans sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, many families traditionally share what they’re thankful for. As part of the Save the Children family, I’ve been [...]
