Every child has a right to be protected, grow healthily and have access to education. Unfortunately, children living in countries that experience a lot of conflicts are deprived of these resources. Such children do not get the chance to access proper education; hence when fully grown they struggle to take care of themselves. This is the reason why Action for Children in Conflict has risen to fight for the well-being of these children.
About the ACCA
Formed in 2012, by its president, Hanesa Omutabi, the association now has over 100 members and 300 volunteers. To be able to archive the goal of making sure children have access to equal opportunities globally, the association has come up with five angles to navigate and solve these issues. These angles include healthy eating and general health, art and culture, travel and foreign cultures, sports, sciences and technology, and academic education and employment.
Here are these angles fully explained.
Healthy eating and general health
Malnutrition is a big problem in countries experiencing a lot of droughts. The effects of malnutrition include low immune systems, exposing children to infectious diseases. For such a child, nutritional diseases such as Marasmus and Kwashiorkor are also widespread. Many of the times it is not due to lack of good parenting, but the parents themselves also struggle to get enough for the family. In such areas, Action for Children in Conflict comes in to provide food supplements for children under three years old.
In places like Turkana in northern Kenya, the association has established irrigation schemes to help the residents get into farming hence improving their livelihood. This action has not only helps to provide for food but has also brought hope among the children who dream of a brighter future. Other than food provision, the association works with local health facilities to provide malaria vaccines.
Art and Culture
In third world countries, art and culture are one of the sectors that draw a lot of income through tourism. In peak season where western countries are experiencing their winter season, many tourists travel to African countries for a Safari. These activities show that modernization is not the only way to develop a country. With this knowledge, a lot of parents pass down cultural values to their children in order to preserve their traditions.
Action for Children in Conflict comes in to not only encourage the preservation of art and culture but also to help add a commercial aspect to the same. In Tanzania, the association has helped locals register their business where they make cultural artifacts and sell them to tourists. Festivals have also been organized with a focus on the preservation of art and culture, where kids recite poems, act plays and sing traditional dork songs to entertain guests.
Travel and Foreign Cultures
As much as preserving one’s own culture is important, there is a lot one can learn from foreign cultures that help open up a mind to greater possibilities. In countries that experience a high level of conflicts, many kids do not get to leave their home town, leave alone their country. This limits their way of thinking and functioning to the environment around them.
In partnership with travel agencies and other humanitarian organizations, Action for Children in Conflict has a yearly program in Sierra Leone where children are selected to visit different western countries for a learning program. Under this program, these children learn about different cultures and economic settings. These children are then required to write essays, describing their experiences and how they would use that to better their homes country.
Sports, Science and Technologies
The most advanced career direction in the world is linked to anything that is under the umbrella of the three subjects. When we look at the sports sector, millionaires are born from exploiting their talents. We have global competitions such as the Olympics and the world cup which shows the importance of this sector. The fascinating thing is that some of the well-known sports champions come from countries that experience a lot of conflicts.
In Ireland, Action for Children in Conflict has come up with local football federations to be able to tap into the sports’ talent. Aside from this, it has launched a STEM organization to make sure that children who are innovative get a chance to explore their talents. Web designers, software developers, and code gurus have been born out of these STEM hubs in the country.
Academic Education and Employment
Lastly, the academic education and employment angle is the most emphasized angle among the five. A child may not be good in tech or talented in sports, but with education, they too have access to an equal career opportunity. However, in countries that experience a lot of conflicts, education is hard to access for children living especially in rural areas. Resources are quite limited and not many teachers are sent by the government to such schools. A lot of interruptions also happen with inter-community conflicts and cattle rustling.
In such areas, Action for Children in Conflict has established schools where teachers are well trained, and education is free. In such schools, there are STEM programs as well as encouraging talent exploitation. This has helped increase literacy levels allowing more children to get employed after school. Children who show outstanding levels of intelligence are given scholarships to study abroad. Others are trained in polytechnics to make sure a good percentage are able to earn a living after school.
Action for Children in Conflict has been a pillar of hope for children living in conflict countries. The association has found ground in very remote areas, with the aim of tapping into every potential available. With a dedicated team of registered members and volunteers, the association has been able to have great success stories. However, more volunteers are encouraged to sign in with the association so that the team can impact more lives. A wise man once said that the best way to finding your purpose is impacting someone’s life.