New Video of Successful School in Darfur, Sudan Marks Anniversary of 'Rewrite the Future' Program  

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 12, 2008) — To mark the second anniversary of Save the Children's Rewrite the Future program, the global humanitarian aid organization is releasing a new video of its successful education initiative in the conflict-ridden region of West Darfur.

Young children in West Darfur gather to enroll in an early child development program which is part of Save the Children's Rewrite the Future initiative that has reached more than 22,000 children in two years.

The new video illustrates that children can get a quality education in even the most difficult circumstances. 

It focuses on one school in Geneina, West Darfur, where Save the Children launched its Rewrite the Future program two years ago.

Charles MacCormack, President and CEO of Save the Children, based in Westport, CT, said, "We hope by issuing this video on Darfur we can demonstrate to the American public that there is hope even in the most ravaged areas of the world." 

He noted, "The new video and other tools on our website make it easy for youth in our country to join us in raising awareness of the issue. Regardless of where children live, every child should have hope in their future."

During the past two years, Save the Children has greatly expanded its education programs in West Darfur. The agency currently is supporting nearly 50 schools benefitting over 22,000 children. 

With recent support from Dubai Cares, a new charitable institution based in the United Arab Emirates, Save the Children plans to broaden its education efforts in West Darfur and throughout Sudan over the next several years. 

"We have come a long way in two years — from getting millions of children into school to the US Government increasing its basic education aid budget," added MacCormack. "However, one of three children is still currently out of school in conflict-affected countries." 

In addition to Save the Children's new video, a Campus Club Toolkit, reports, and other resources are available on the web at Save the Children's Rewrite the Future Campaign to raise awareness of the need for education for children in conflict-affected countries.

Background

Save the Children's Rewrite the Future program advocates for the 37 million children who cannot go to school because of conflict in their countries. The five-year initiative, launched in 2006, is dedicated to bringing 3 million children living in conflict-affected countries into school and to ensuring that another 5 million children in conflict-affected countries receive a better-quality education. Rewrite the Future has helped 5.7 million children gain access to school. In addition, Save the Children helped to increase the US Government's basic aid budget from $490m to $694m.

Although the number of out-of-school, primary-age children in the world has dramatically fallen from 100 million to 72 million in recent years, the situation in conflict-affected countries has seen little improvement. These countries, though home to half of all the out-of-school children worldwide (37 million out of 72 million children), receive less than one-fifth of basic education aid.

Education is crucial to these countries in order to break the cycle of poverty and violence. It also helps with economic development, poverty alleviation and stability. In the short-term it can help protect children and support conflict resolution; in the long term it lays the foundation for healthier, more productive and better governed societies.