Member Spotlight

More than 230 million children around the world have never been registered at birth and in the eyes of their country do not exist. As a result, these children will grow up stateless, with no official identity or citizenship. They will be “invisible” in society and, indeed, in the world.

Approximately 37% of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa. 600,000 of them are under the age of five and live in Senegal.

Kim Chi is a young girl from northern Vietnam. She plays for a team called Tomatoes, and rugby is her chosen sport.

But joining team Tomatoes wasn’t easy. First, Kim Chi had to get her parents’ approval: “They told me that I should stay home and help them with housework; that there is no use for a girl to play tag rugby, and that I should spend my free time doing my homework. They also thought I should not play sport because I got sick quite often.”

New York, NY, 4 September 2018 -- World Rugby and ChildFund have today launched a major international partnership to change children’s lives through the transformative power of sport, as part of Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan.

“We awarded the tournament to Japan because we knew that it could be a powerful game-changer for sporting and social change in Asia," said World Rugby Chief Executive Officer Brett Gosper. "As a transformational rugby for good program, ChildFund Pass It Back is the perfect embodiment of that objective and we are excited about the impact rugby can have for thousands of children within the world’s most populous and youthful continent.

“Rugby is a sport of character-building values and we have witnessed the solidarity of the rugby community in rallying behind Kamaishi and I am sure that fans purchasing tickets for Asia’s first Rugby World Cup will be generous in supporting rugby programs that will make a real and lasting difference to thousands of disadvantaged children.”

Recently we had the opportunity to sit down with Joern Ziegler, CEO of ChildFund Deutschland (Germany). Joern has been with ChildFund for 17 years, and is a founding member of the Alliance. He is currently co-chair of the CEO Forum, which forms the senior management team of the Alliance. The CEO Forum supports the Secretary General to execute ChildFund Alliance’s strategic plan.

Joern Ziegler has dedicated his life to children. His career has spanned more than 36 years, working with a variety of international and domestic child development and rights organizations. This commitment extends beyond the professional sphere. Together with his wife Susanne, Joern has raised four daughters and a son. They have hosted ten exchange students from around the world. And recently, at an age when many parents are getting ready to end their child-raising years, they have welcomed a new son into their family, having adopted a young refugee from Afghanistan.

$15-million joint venture led by Canadians providing hope and solutions for irregular child migration from Central America

MARKHAM, Ont. — Recently, the horrific plight of child migrants from Central America created both empathy and outrage throughout Canada, North America and the entire world. We watched news images of families who risk everything — separation, incarceration and even death — in search of a better life. For most, it was the frightened, desperate faces of the children that were particularly heart-wrenching. But what we witnessed through newscasts is only a fraction of the dangerous reality that actually affects so many young people living without safety, security or opportunity. Every day, youth in some of the most desperate countries in the world are faced with crime, violence and the drug trade. Coupled with limited employment and educational opportunities, these youth are pulled into a downward spiral of hopelessness and struggle to find a better future for themselves and their families.

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.

One in three Koreans feel that their society is not safe. ChildFund Korea is doing its part to improve safety for school children in the country through the ‘Yellow Carpet’ initiative.

Find out about the High-Level Political Forum — what is it, and why is it so important to the global community.

More than 2,000 representatives of government, civil society, business and United Nations (UN) agencies are meeting at the annual High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) this week in New York.

They’re figuring out if the world is on track to meet six of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set in 2015 for completion by 2030.

ChildFund Alliance members are undertaking a project in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua designed to improve the well-being of children and youth who are at risk of irregular migration.

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Preventing Irregular Child Migration in Central America (PICMCA)

Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC) is leading a CAD $15.2M regional project in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua designed to improve the well-being of children and youth who are at risk of irregular migration. The Government of Canada is contributing CAD $12.6 million to the four-year project. The initiative addresses a number of the root causes that fuel irregular migration — from high levels of crime and violence, limited employment and educational opportunities, to social exclusion and a lack of information on the inherent dangers of migrating without following the normal immigration procedures. For this project, CCFC is partnering with two non-governmental organizations: ChildFund International and EDUCO.

Right now, as policies and procedures surrounding children separated from their families continue to evolve, a major concern has yet to be resolved: the plight of those thousands who remain removed from their parents. ChildFund International is deeply concerned about their wellbeing. We have been working with children and families on both sides of the border for decades, and will apply that unique expertise and insight to assist these children until they can be reunited.

“These kids are doubly traumatized, first in the dangerous journey from their home countries and then in being taken from the people who love them,” said Anne Lynam Goddard, ChildFund’s president and CEO. “They need much more than basic sustenance. They need emotional support and care. Children who are not in the care of their parents are also even more vulnerable to exploitation and neglect.”