Save the Children, US

Type

Non-governmental agency providing technical assistance and funding throughout the world.

Brief Overview

Established in 1932 to assist children of coalminers in Appalachia, Save the Children US, part of the Save the Children International Alliance, is now a nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization working in more than 35 nations around the globe to assist children in need. By expanding its focus on children’s issues to include those of their communities, Save the Children attempted to facilitate long-term improvements in children’s lives. The organization’s work in Dominican Republic in 1972 was the first project with this focus and included road construction and water supply improvements. Today, Save the Children’s health programs center on child survival, maternal health care and AIDS awareness, as well as nutrition, clean water and sanitation. The organization also responds to the needs of children in crisis situations such as war and natural disasters.

Contact Information

website: www.savethechildren.org
address:
Save the Children
501 Kings Highway East, Suite 400
Fairfield, CT 06825
USA
telephone: (+1) 800 728 3843
fax: (+1) 203 227 5667
e-mail: supportercare@savechildren.org

Stated Goals

1. Child-centered — Every program directly or indirectly benefits children.
2. Gender Equity — Programs focus on equity as a strategy for improving the lives of boys and girls.
3. Empowerment — Programs increase the capacity of disadvantaged groups to make choices and take actions on their own behalf
4. Sustainability — Programs make lasting, positive changes by enabling individuals, communities and institutions to adopt new behaviors and systems that promote change and endure beyond Save the Children’s involvement.
5. Replicability — Programs are constructed to meet the needs of communities with similar needs and issues in order to achieve the most impact for the most number of children.
6. Measurable Impact — Programs demonstrate positive impact on children through the systematic collection of information about programs and results.

Regions of Work

United States, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Middle East and North Africa

Areas of Work

1. Health and nutrition
2. Education
3. Economic Opportunity
4. Emergencies

Methods

Save the Children works with families, communities, and local and national organizations to implement its projects. The Woman/Child Impact framework is the driving force behind the programs, meaning that they seek to support women’s empowerment, to benefit children, and to have verifiable impact.

Examples of Upgrading Project

After Hurricane Mitch struck Central America, Save the Children began extensive programs to rebuild the area. In Nicaragua, the organization is assisting 26 villages that were either completely or severely destroyed by the floods, helping 300 families build start-up homes with grant money. Many people in Central America are living in temporary structures made from found objects, and the lack of permanent housing in the challenges of relocation, land tenure, water, and the lack of construction materials and skills means that most are unable to find permanent housing. After communities reach consensus about whether or not to relocate and land has been acquired through donation, Save the Children has been providing zinc roofing sheets and construction tools. When Save the Children must purchase the land, municipalities have been providing these items.

Project Selection Process