Wednesday, December 31, 2008

UNICEF Appeal for Afghanistan's Children

4/12/07














Clay visiting a school in Afghanistan
















BREAKING NEWS:
$100,000 in 10 Days for Afghanistan


Click HERE to Support UNICEF's Programs In Afghanistan


A Message From Clay Aiken, UNICEF Ambassador:

"I've just returned from Afghanistan and see that the need is urgent. Let's aim high and work together to raise $100,000 in 10 days. Join me in standing with UNICEF to help these kids."


In his role as UNICEF Ambassador, Clay, a former teacher, is focused on education. He witnessed Afghanistan's new education initiatives, including the rebuilding of schools and training of teachers. Here is an overview of Clay's trip:

From PR Newswire

UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken Draws Attention to the Critical Needs of Children in Afghanistan

NEW YORK and KABUL, Afghanistan, April 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Clay Aiken concluded a recent trip to Afghanistan today by heralding the progress being made in children's education.

"As a former teacher I recognize that spark of hope and excitement all children possess when given the opportunity to learn," said Aiken, who spent five days traveling between Kabul and Bamyan in the central region of Afghanistan. "Rebuilding schools, training teachers, providing essential supplies and teaching materials are just some of the advances UNICEF and its partners have made to keep that hope flourishing."

Last month marked a significant moment in the country's recent history when more than six million children headed back to school to resume their education. Education in Afghanistan has witnessed a tremendous boost over the past few years.

While in the capital city of Kabul, Aiken, who was appointed a UNICEF Ambassador in 2004, visited schools that have implemented programs meant to ensure all children regardless of gender receive an education. While in Bamyan, Aiken visited a health clinic and women's literacy center where many women learn how to read and write and experience formal education for the first time. The literacy program is one UNICEF's priority projects for the empowerment of women in Afghanistan.

Aiken also visited water and sanitation programs as well as a program that reintegrates former child soldiers into mainstream society.

"UNICEF is committed to reach out to all the children in Afghanistan and provide quality education," said Catherine Mbengue, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan. "While there has been progress, there are still over one million children, particularly girls who are not going to school-we have to do more in order to change that."


Some of the recent UNICEF supported initiatives for education in the country include:

-- distribution of teaching and learning materials to 2.71 million children and 61,780 teachers
-- enrollment of 195,878 out-of school children mainly girls who now have
access to primary education through community-based schools in 29 provinces
-- supporting mobile school protection teams in 34 provinces
-- training of 614 teacher trainers as well as 8,110 newly recruited female teachers
-- over 48,009 women enrolled in 1,782 adult literacy centers in 17 provinces

About UNICEF:
Founded in 1946, UNICEF helps save, protect and improve the lives of children in 156 countries through immunization, education, health care, nutrition, clean water and sanitation. UNICEF is non-partisan and its cooperation is free of discrimination. In everything it does, the most disadvantaged children and the countries in greatest need have priority.

For more information about UNICEF please visit http://www.unicefusa.org or call 1-800-4UNICEF.

SOURCE U.S. Fund for UNICEF



Clay Aiken's Afghanistan Appeal Draws Massive Response for UNICEF

4/16/07

BREAKING NEWS: Unicef Ambassador Clay Aiken has blogged about his visit to Afghanistan.

Read his blog, "There is so much more that needs to be done", at UNICEF Fieldnotes.














UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken talks with Jamad, a student at a unique school where boys and girls from grades 1-9 share classes and study in the open. The school is in urgent need of funding to buy tents and materials to build a new school to allow more children the opportunity to be educated.

ALL PHOTOS: US Fund for UNICEF

A Message From Clay Aiken, UNICEF Ambassador:

"I've just returned from Afghanistan and see that the need is urgent. Let's aim high and work together to raise $100,000 in 10 days. Join me in standing with UNICEF to help these kids."















Click HERE to Support UNICEF's Programs In Afghanistan



BREAKING NEWS:
Update on $100,000 in 10 Days for Afghanistan


An appeal by UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken to raise $100,000 in ten days for children in Afghanistan has received an overwhelming response.

According to the UNICEF Fieldnotes blog, UNICEF supporters, including Clay's fans, had donated $69,638 by the end of the second day of the ten day campaign. Clay completed a five day visit to Afghanistan last Wednesday, aimed at raising awareness about the hope and promise he saw in the young people of the war-torn country.

“The people here are very strong and they are very proud of their country,” Clay told reporters at a press conference in Kabul held by UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan). He praised the “strength and conviction of the Afghan people and their ability to make sure that this country returns to its glory after such a long darkness.”















A light-hearted moment for Clay and the kids.














Clay with 11 year old Nasrin, who attends school with 1,050 other girls. There are only 16 teachers. The community urgently needs funds to train teachers so more kids can attend classes.



Last month, the Government of Afghanistan honored UNICEF's extraordinary work in the field of education, which has helped hundreds of thousands of children return to school, trained thousands of teachers, and built hundreds of schools.

More funds are urgently needed to help UNICEF as they work for the survival and development of children in Afghanistan. Please act now to Support UNICEF's Programs In Afghanistan.














Clay at the chalkboard, teaching the alphabet to Afghani school children.

This afternoon, Clay blogged at UNICEF Fieldnotes to provide further details of his visit to Afghanistan. The ConCLAYve will provide regular updates on the Afghanistan fund-raising campaign in support of education and health programs.
















Clay meets with Fawzia, another student at a unique co-educational school in Afghanistan. The school needs funding to build a new school and to provide materials for the students and their teachers.
















Clay administers polio vaccine to a newborn. UNICEF's immunization campaign is targeting areas like remote Bamyan province, where there is little access to health care. Afghanistan’s infant mortality rate is alarmingly high at over 25 percent.

UNICEF Reports Clay Aiken's Afghanistan Appeal Raises $139,778 in One Week, Exceeding Goal

4/18/07

Donations Still Being Accepted to Provide Education and Health Programs for Afghanistan's Children


BREAKING NEWS: UNICEF reports $145,902.31 total U.S. donations for Afghanistan as of 5:15 p.m. EDT tonight. Canadian donations yet to be reported.

New challenge to raise $200,000 issued!













UNICEF reported today that Clay Aiken's Appeal to raise $100,000 for Afghanistan in 10 Days has now exceeded its goal, raising $139,778 in just six days.

In the Fieldnotes blog on the US Fund for UNICEF website, UNICEF's Chris Phillips writes:

Clay Aiken's Fieldnotes post from Monday told us about the great need he saw first-hand in Afghanistan. Schools are struggling to provide school supplies to every boy and girl who wants to learn. Your gifts will make a tremendous difference in the lives of these kids.

Today is Day 7 of the challenge.
We've got three more days left and we've already exceeded Clay's $100,000 goal. How much more do you think we can raise for the children of Afghanistan in three more days?


Congratulations to UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken and to everyone who has already made a donation to support the children of Afghanistan.

With three days remaining in the fundraising campaign, donations are still urgently needed.














How many more children will be able to go to school? How many more books will they have available? Will they have tents to study in, instead of sitting on the ground in the open? Will there be equipment for a science lab, and maybe even some games and sports equipment for their physical well-being, too?

Here are UNICEF's goals for the expansion and extension of community-based schools:

*Support the Ministry of Education in enrolling 500,000 girls in community-based schools over a two-year period.

*Establish 10,000 community-based schools.

*Train 10,000 community teachers on basic teaching/learning methodologies, subject contents and classroom management.

*Set up 1,000 double-set latrines and 2,000 water points for schools and communities.

*Increase community awareness and participation in girls' education.

*Improve the capacity of education administrators to plan, implement and manage projects from a community-based, bottom-up perspective.

*Facilitate the integration of community-based schools in the formal school system.


The $139,778 raised to date will make a real difference in the lives of many children in Afghanistan, but putting these programs in place nationwide will take millions.

Let's do everything we can to raise a few dollars more. If you haven't donated yet, please go HERE and make your donation now. If you have already donated, please spread the word to others who have not, or consider an additional donation to support UNICEF's programs in Afghanistan.








PHOTOS Courtesy US Fund for UNICEF

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