THE GLOBAL FUND FOR CHILDREN

The Global Fund for Children (https://www.globalfundforchildren.org) works to transform the lives of children on the edges of society—trafficked children, refugees, child laborers—and help them regain their rights and pursue their dreams.  Since 1997, they’ve reached 8 million children worldwide.

They find and invest in grassroots organizations that enable the most vulnerable children in their communities to thrive.   Their model can be summarized in three steps: scout (seeking out organizations that serve the most marginalized children in the world), support (they invest in undercapitalized organizations that provide critical services to vulnerable children), and strengthen (through management assistance, capacity building, and networking opportunities to help them become sustainable resources in their communities).

In a recent blog “Voices from Hay al-Gharbeh” By Emmanuel Otoo on December 26th, 2012, the author discusses poverty in Lebanon.  It is estimated that 8 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty while an additional 28 percent are considered below the poverty line.  There are also huge disparities in poverty demographics, with a heavy concentration of poverty in certain regions and increased poverty in urban areas, especially around large cities like Beirut.

Tahaddi, a GFC partner, works to address these challenges by providing children and women in Hay al-Gharbeh, a shantytown in Beirut, with access to quality education, psychosocial support, and basic health services. The children are given the opportunity to learn and play in a safe environment and are guided and socialized to become productive and responsible adults.

The author visited and spent time with over 100 vulnerable boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 16 who are receiving various forms of support from Tahaddi. The children quizzed him about the United States and taught him key words in Arabic.  They shared their dreams and aspirations with the author and shared that they are receiving the needed guidance from Tahaddi to enable them to achieve their dreams.  One 9-year-old girl said that when she grows up, she wants to help children who are sick to be well and those who are hungry to have food. When asked why, she said, “Sickness and hunger make children unhappy, and so I want to do that to make sure children are happy all the time.”

Tahaddi’s strategy centers on providing support to vulnerable children and youth affected by conflict and poverty, including those with disabilities. The organization currently serves over 110 beneficiaries. Tahaddi provides community sensitization on the rights of children, supports families in obtaining the legal documentation necessary to access basic amenities, and operates social inclusion, mentorship, youth empowerment, and enterprise and livelihood programs.

GFC selects grantee partners such as Tahaddi based on their demonstrated potential to actively engage their communities and find sustainable solutions to the issues facing vulnerable children and youth. They serve as a resource for these grassroots organizations and, through their financial investment and other services, help to strengthen the capacity of their partners to enable them to continue addressing emerging issues long after their support ends.