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150,000 people across Africa and the UK join our global movement to stop children dying

On 16 June, the Day of the African child, over 150,000 children, parents, teachers, students, MPs and Presidents joined our biggest-ever global campaign to stop children dying from easily preventable diseases. See some of them in the pictures below.

Thursday 18 June 2009

Children from Witsieshoek primary school in Qwa Qwa, South Africa showing their support for the campaign.

Palesa, 13, part of the same class in Qwa Qwa, South Africa also makes her mark. She says communities should start vegetable gardens and food schemes at school, such as soup kitchens, with the support of the municipality and the government to make things better for children in South Africa.

Twins Nthabeleng and Nthabiseng, aged nine, in Qwa Qwa, South Africa, show their thumb prints, having already made their mark.

Lesedi, six, one of the youngest members of the class in in Qwa Qwa, South Africa.

Musu marches with hundreds of other children in Freetown, Sierra Leone asking the government to pay for doctors and nurses.

"Making my mark today is for remembering our friends who died," said Musu. "There are sick people in my community, sick from diseases like malaria. There is no clean drinking water. This needs to change."

"Making my mark today means being part of the Day of the African child," said Foday, 15, who joined Musu in making his mark in Sierra Leone. "I've heard the Minister’s speech and am telling him: 'Our water is poor. Please let us have pure water to drink. Tell the city council to clean our community so we can prevent sickness.'"

Mariama, 13, campaining with Foday and Musu in Sierra Leone said, "The biggest health problems in our county are typhoid and malaria. Making my mark today is about our rights, and being here empowers us to know our rights better."

Hundreds of children took part in a parade through the streets of Abuja, Nigeria to take their messages to the coutry's First Lady.

The First Lady of Nigeria pledged her ongoing commitment to reducing the number of child deaths in her country on the Day of the African child.

"I'm excited that the Nigerian government has acknowledged the campaign and I'm joyful to part of it," said Mathiew, 17, at the parade in Abuja, Nigeria. For him polio is one of the big health problems because many children have died from it. He thinks the Ministry of Health can help by providing good medical care across the country.

In London, Libby Rees, Save the Children's youth ambassador, makes her mark at the campaign launch in Victoria Gardens.

Libby Rees was joined by politicians from across the UK, who made their mark in support of the campaign. Left to right, Annette Brooke MP, Hillary Armstrong MP, Libby Rees, SC Youth Ambassador, and John Battle MP.

Law student Nkechi Kiki Oyemhen makes her mark with her local MP John Battle.

Even passing policemen left their fingerprints in support for the campaign!

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