War Child (charity)

War Child is an organisation founded by Bill Leeson and David Wilson in 1993, after witnessing the fate of children in war-torn Yugoslavia having made a film about the role of artists in war. Shocked by the plight of children - this war like so many in the world, was a war against civilians - they decided to use their film and entertainment background to raise money for the innocent victims of that gruesome war.

Related Topics:
1993 - Yugoslavia

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It has received funding from The United Nations High commission for Refugees (UNHCR). It has helped Tibetan refugees in Nepal and street children in Central America, South Africa and Ethiopia. The patrons have included David Bowie, Brian Eno and Luciano Pavarotti.

Related Topics:
United Nations - UNHCR - Tibet - Nepal - Central America - South Africa - Ethiopia - David Bowie - Brian Eno - Luciano Pavarotti

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In 1995 the charity released an LP The Help Album to raise funds to help children of the Yugolsavian Civil War. It featured artists such as Paul McCartney, Oasis, The Boo Radleys and many others. Famously, it was recorded in one day (Monday, September 4th) and was in the shops the following Saturday (9th September). It outsold every album that week in just one day.

Related Topics:
The Help Album - Civil War - Paul McCartney - Oasis - Boo Radleys

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In 2005, to mark the 10th anniversary of The Help Album, War Child decided to repeat the project, aiming to produce the fastest ever online album. Artists began recording the album at 12pm on Thursday September 8th, and the album, ', was released online at around 18:10 on Friday September 9th, around 30 hours after recording started. In addition to Radiohead and Manic Street Preachers, who featured on the original Help album of 1995, the new album features artists such as Coldplay, Elbow and Kaiser Chiefs, along with Keane who are the current patrons of War Child.

Related Topics:
The Help Album - Radiohead - Manic Street Preachers - Coldplay - Elbow - Kaiser Chiefs - Keane

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In the early summer of 1993 the first War Child convoy with equipment, and food to run a mobile bakery traveled to former Yugoslavia. In 1994 War Child Holland was founded, followed by War Child Canada in 1998.

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Since that time War Child has expanded their field of operations to include some of the other thirty wars and conflicts that are currently affecting millions of children around our planet.

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From psychosocial workshops for children in Bosnia, Music Therapy for severely traumatised children in Mostar, to helping the children in Sudan and Afghanistan. And from projects for street children in Ethiopia to creative workshops in the Chechnyan refugee camps in Ingushetia. From Youth Media & Human Rights programs for Burmese refugees, to creative and sports programs in Sierra Leone. Community programs and child-soldier rehabilitation in Democratic Republic of Congo and mobile workshops in Kosovo. From material aid and child rights programmes in Iraq to Afghan refugee education in Pakistan. War Child is working as hard as possible to take the war out of the child.

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The offices have developed different focus and specialties, and often work closely together in countries where they both have projects. The UK office is focussing on child rights and child protection programmes aimed at the most vulnerable children, War Child Holland is focussed on psychosocial aid and War Child Canada on vocational training. Both organisations have made peacebuilding an integral part of their projects.

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In the last ten years, War Child has achieved a lot. Hundreds of thousands of children have been reached with War Child programs in more than twenty different warzones around the world.

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