Anne Lynam Goddard has been a passionate voice for protecting the world’s most vulnerable children for more than 30 years. Goddard began her career in the Peace Corps in Kenya. After earning a master’s degree in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she joined the international humanitarian organization CARE and lived and worked overseas for almost 20 years.

The ChildFund 'Pass It Back' Belfast Cup brought together girls from Vietnam, the Philippines and Laos with players from across Ulster to celebrate the power of sport and highlight how rugby is developing in Asia. #WRWC2017 #BringIt

ChildFund Laos is a representative office of ChildFund Australia. ChildFund began work in Laos in 2010, implementing community development programs in Xieng Khouang Province, one of the poorest areas in the country. ChildFund has a strong focus on improving access to quality education, and is expanding its work to include pre-primary education to ensure that children get the best possible start in life. In partnership with communities, ChildFund has also established projects to improve water, sanitation and hygiene, mother and child heath, food security and nutrition, and to provide opportunities for children and youth to participate in local decision-making. ChildFund has a strong focus on protection, child rights, and developing life-skills through tools including sport and multimedia.

ChildFund Myanmar is a representative office of ChildFund Australia. ChildFund Australia began working in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) in 2012, following the country’s shift from decades of military rule to a newly elected government. Child-focused development programs are being delivered in a partnership approach working with local groups and organizations, focusing on the areas of child protection, education, sustainable livelihoods, water and sanitation, health and HIV and AIDS.

ChildFund Papua New Guinea is a representative office of ChildFund Australia. ChildFund began work in Papua New Guinea in 1994, and undertakes child-focused community development programs in Central Province and the National Capital District. Key programs are implemented in the areas of maternal and child health, including nutrition, and water and sanitation, education through the Child-Friendly Schools framework, protection and resilience against family and sexual violence, and disaster and child protection. ChildFund PNG has established a Family and Sexual Violence Counselling Hotline which operates in Port Moresby and provides national coverage.

ChildFund Vietnam is a representative office of ChildFund Australia. ChildFund began working in Vietnam in 1995 and operates community development programs in the areas of education, water and sanitation, sustainable livelihoods, child rights and child protection, food security, and maternal and child health, including HIV prevention. With a strong focus on building the resilience of young people, ChildFund also gives children and youth the opportunity to take part in sports, vocational and life skills education, and supports their participation in local decision-making processes.

Eight-year-old Khet Khet is the youngest of three girls. Her eldest sister, Ma Nwe, was the same age when she had to make a very difficult choice: she and her younger siblings could go hungry, or she could drop out of school to care for them so both of her parents could work.

In Papua New Guinea, ChildFund Australia has implemented the HOPE (A Haus (house) for Protection and Empowerment) project, which aims to reduce the widespread violent abuse of children’s and women's rights by empowering survivors and training human rights defenders. The project has provided a safe refuge center for survivors of violence, better prevention mechanisms and a group of human rights defenders trained and empowered to intervene in sexual violence cases and encourage survivors and families to seek legal justice and medical attention.

Digital technology is changing childhoods, with one in threeinternet users now under the age 18. The worldwide web brings new opportunities for young people to learn and connect, but it also represents new threats to their well being. Fortunately, a new program from ChildFund Australia is helping to keep children safe from harm online, writes Mark Kavanagh.

Margaret Sheehan is CEO of ChildFund Australia, an independent international development organisation that works to reduce poverty for children in developing communities.               

Previous to this role, Margaret spent four years as ChildFund Australia’s International Program Director, overseeing the development and implementation of child-focused development  programs in the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to joining ChildFund, Margaret held senior international roles with UNICEF and the World Health Organisation.

With a Masters in Public Health, Margaret has over two decades of experience in managing international development programs and personnel in field office. 

ChildFund's Pass It Back project teaches children life skills through the sport of rugby.

The seventh leg of the Rugby World Cup 2019 Trophy Tour spent four days in the Philippines.

... the last event of the tour was a rugby clinic for 100 children at the Concepcion Elementary School in Marikina City. The activity was delivered by Rugby World Cup 2019 Worldwide Partner DHL in collaboration with the Philippine Rugby Football Union, Davao Durian Rugby Club and ChildFund, through their Pass it Back programme. The children enjoyed rugby-based sessions as well as learning important life skills centred around key rugby values of passion, solidarity, integrity, respect and discipline.

ChildFund is helping the postie bike make a transformation from humble Aussie battler to poverty-battling beacon of joy for children in Cambodia.

This year, your support helped to change the lives of children all over the world! Because of you, they can now say: "I am safe. I am educated. I am heard. I can make a difference. I have a future."