Dieudonne is from the Central African Republic (CAR) and attends War Child UK's "Voicemore" group.

Here's why players of the People's Postcode Lottery change lives

In 2013 we were supporting 62,236 children affected by war annually. Now, thanks to the players of the People's Postcode Lottery, that's increased to 165,237.

Children are still being targeted in conflicts across the world. Their lives are being torn apart by war, and War Child is doing everything it can to help support them.  

We've increased our efforts to persuade world leaders to help young people who are living in conflict.  

Importantly, we continue to deliver life-changing work in war-torn countries to help children like Dieudonne, who attends Voicemore, a programme that empowers young people to achieve greater rights. 

“One of my uncles, who I really loved, died, but I didn't cry, because I saw death a lot” Dieudonne, 15, Central African Republic 

A young girl plays in one of War Child's child-friendly spaces, a place for her to forget the conflict and be a child again.
A young girl plays in one of War Child's child-friendly spaces, a place for her to forget the conflict and be a child again.

People's Postcode Lottery funding is unique: they realise the value of flexible funding, which is called 'unrestricted'. It means it doesn't need to fund a pre-defined project.  

Instead, it can be used to respond rapidly to emergencies, as we did in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recently. 

War Child provided child protection, temporary foster care families, safe spaces, psychosocial support, schooling and training in the DRC's Kasai region during a spike of violence. 

 

As families fled thousands of children got separated. 

Without the unrestricted rewards given by the players, War Child wouldn't have the money to help these children. 

Because of you, these children had hope. 

A child in War Child's child-friendly spaces cuddles her toy

Unrestricted funding allows War Child to advocate for change to help children our programmes can't reach. Earlier this year we released a report, "Reclaiming Dreams", which was funded by players of the People's Postcode Lottery. We showed how the need for mental health support for children affected by war was so vital and needed now more than ever. We've used the report to find greater support at the UN and Parliament with huge success.

Without the unrestricted reward from People's Postcode Lottery's players, War Child couldn't be as effective, and we couldn't help elevating the voices of children who are commonly silenced by the horrors of war.