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Children have always been considered our future. They are expected to learn from adults’ mistakes and carry the world into a new and prosperous age as leaders and champions of a glorious tomorrow. But, for the thirty thousand or so children and infants that die every day due to disease, malnutrition or armed conflict, that tomorrow never comes.
With the establishment of the Millennium Development Goals, the plight of children around the world has started receiving some much-needed attention. Goal number four addresses the need to reduce the under-five infant and child mortality rate around the world. One of the major hazards posed to the lives of children is that of armed conflict.
Throughout the world nearly half of all casualties in all forms of armed
conflict comprise of children, most of them still infants. Infants are unable to defend themselves from physical violence and have a reduced ability to recover from such violence. This is especially significant when children are simultaneously combating malnutrition and disease. But even when children are not directly involved in conflict, they are often the first demographic group to bear the brunt of its consequences, namely poverty, hunger, lack of health care facilities and, most significantly, the prospect of being orphaned and abandoned.
War Child Canada was established with the mission to protect children from the devastating effects of armed conflict. The independent charitable organization has taken upon itself the immense responsibility of assisting children affected by war and ensuring their survival and development, throughout the world. The numerous success stories credited to War Child Canada, however, could not have been possible without the active and ever-growing youth participation that supports the organization. This involvement has taken a multitude of faces across North America and the rest of the world.
The Keep the Beat youth initiative is a creative approach taken to raise money for the organization. Young musicians, dancers, folk artists, and vocalists are invited to come together and perform non-stop for marathon stretches of time. Youth are given an excellent opportunity and stage to demonstrate their unique talents and abilities. As a result, it has seen outstanding success throughout North America, contributing funds for humanitarian assistance to children in Sierra Leone, Sudan, Ghana and Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Youth Outreach Team of War Child Canada is another example of youth involvement. This group of empowered and active young leaders, raise awareness in their communities about War Child Canada’s programs and the deadly problems faced by innocent children in areas ravaged by armed conflict. Through creative workshops and presentations in their schools and community centres awareness is spread.
Great Canadian leaders such as Lester B. Pearson and Pierre Trudeau have been honoured nationally and internationally for setting an example in global citizenship. But the torch today has been handed to a younger generation. Through initiatives like these, it is easy to see that when Canadian youth are empowered, they can achieve their full leadership potential and contribute positively towards realizing the MDGs.
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Saurabh Sunil Chitnis
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Comments
Congratulation!!! CM | Oct 18th, 2006
I really love your article!!!Especially the way it is expressed. Keep on going.
Great read Ruth Gonzalez | Nov 5th, 2006
As an American, I have nothing but the deepest respect towards Canada. They are very much concerned with human rights than any country I know of. Wonderful read
Saurabh Sunil Chitnis | Dec 17th, 2006
Thank you Claudia and Ruth,
My apologies for the late reply! I'm glad you both enjoyed it. And I extend even warmer sentiments to you Ruth for your respect for Canada.
cheers
Saurabh
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