Save the Children Week 1-7 May 2007

It’s that time of the year again – Save the Children Week – when we launch various activities to highlight what we do around the country.

Skip a Treat

Our annual annual Skip a Treat event is back.  All you have to do is give up a treat to help educate the world’s poorest children.  A little treat can make a big difference in poor countries. For example, a bunch of flowers could cover a teacher’s salary in Sri Lanka for a month.  Click here for more information or call us on 1800 76 00 11.

States round-up

Around the Australia our state offices will be running various activities during Save the Children Week, with branches also organising events to show their support.  In Queensland, volunteers at various shopping centres will be selling badges and wrist bands during the month of May.  For more information contact our Queensland office.

In Victoria, we are running a School Pin Promotion selling our Funraiser pins and promoting Skip a Treat to corporates as well as collecting donations at Federation Square during the first week of May. For more information please contact Kimmy Taylor .

In South Australia we shall be selling badges and collecting donations at shopping centres in Adelaide. The office will also be launching Speaking out program for schools as well as a professional development for teachers at the Education Centre. The event will be launched by Emeritus Professor Freda Briggs AO.  For more information please contact the South Australia office .

Our Western Australia office will hold performances from children to entertain lunch time workers and shoppers in the CBD. The performances range from Malaysian dancing to Brazilian martial arts and fitness demonstrations.   The office will also hold its annual street appeal and collectors are urgently needed.  If you are interested in volunteering call our Perth office on (08) 9328 3111.

2007 State of the World’s Mothers Report

We shall also be soon releasing our annual State of the World’s Mothers Report in the lead up to Mother’s Day. The theme for the 2007 report is child survival – saving the lives of the 28,000 children who still die every day from easily preventable or treatable diseases.

Rewrite the Future

Later in the month, we shall focus attention on our global education campaign – Rewrite the Future. Rewrite the Future is Save the Children’s challenge to the world to ensure millions of children out of school because of conflict get access to quality education.

Today, 77 million children are out of school; over half of them, 39 million, live in conflict affected fragile states (CAFS).  The sad reality is that only 18 per cent of education aid is given to these countries that need it most.  Read Save the Children’s Last in line, Last in School report which shows how donors are failing children in conflict affected states.

You can also watch a film on Sudan here to learn more about the plight of children in conflict affected areas.

Save the Children Australia will ensure that the Australian government and partner organisations are aware of these issues. 

Show your support by:

• Signing up to support Save the Children’s Rewrite the Future challenge
• Buy a tshirt, cap or other items from our online shop

Got time for some music?

If you like classical music you can support us by buying a ticket to our gala concert presentation – A Celebration of Handel.  450 singers and musicians, including principal soloists from Opera Australia, will perform a selection of Handel's most glorious compositions at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday 27 May at 7.00 pm. Click here to book now.