UNICEF

Hello! We are the United Nations Children's Fund. That's a long name, so many people call us by our shorter name, UNICEF. Our name tells you exactly what we do: we are a fund, or a special group, that helps children. We work with people from all over the world to make life better for kids everywhere. Our main job is to help every single child stay safe and healthy. We also work to make sure that all children have a chance to learn new things and grow up to be whatever they want to be.

Our story began a long time ago, in 1946. This was right after a very big war called World War II had ended. The war had damaged many countries, and lots of families lost their homes. Sadly, many children were left with very little. They didn't have enough food to eat, medicine to help them when they were sick, or even a safe, warm place to live. The world saw that these children needed help right away. So, we were created to bring them emergency supplies. Our first mission was to deliver food, blankets, and medicine to the children who needed it most, helping them survive this difficult time and begin to feel better.

After a few years, we saw that our work was making a big difference. But we also realized something important: children needed help in many places, not just in countries that had been in the war. Some children got sick because their water wasn't clean to drink. Other children couldn't go to school because there wasn't one nearby. We knew we had to do more. So, our work grew. We started projects in many more countries to help solve these everyday problems. We helped communities get clean water. We gave out special medicines called vaccines, which help protect children from getting very sick. We also worked with communities to build schools and provide books, so that more children could have the chance to learn how to read and write.

Today, we are still working hard for children all around the globe. You can find us working in over 190 countries! Our job has two important parts. First, when an emergency happens, like a big flood or a powerful earthquake, we are one of the first groups to arrive. We bring clean water, food, and tents to help families who have lost their homes. Second, we work every single day to protect the rights of every child. This means we work to make sure that all children are treated fairly and have what they need for a happy childhood. This includes having enough food, a safe home, and a chance to go to school. Our goal is to make sure every child has a fair chance to grow up healthy and happy.