Change children’s lives for good this Christmas
Thanks for joining millions of people in the UK and beyond to make the world better in a sweater.
But what does that actually mean?
It means you’ll be making a lasting difference to children’s lives – whether that’s empowering young people in the UK through skateboarding and education, helping a child in Sudan recover after life‑changing injuries, or getting a child in the Democratic Republic of Congo back into school and thriving.
*We've changed Ali and Adel's names to keep them safe.
Ali takes his second first steps
Save the Children is supporting Ali*, 13, and his younger brother Nour 10* through emergency assistance and psychosocial support, as well as providing mobility aids including an electric wheelchair for Ali* to boost his independence. He is currently awaiting a fitting for a prosthetic leg.
Photo: Mussab Salahaldeen / Save the Children
Ali* was playing football with his little brother, Nour*, and their friends in Khartoum when their ball rolled onto the street. But as one of their friends ran to retrieve it, a shell dropped from the sky and exploded. Ali lost his leg and Nour suffered severe abdominal injuries and a spinal fracture that left him paraplegic.
The family began a desperate journey across Sudan seeking long term medical help. But as they travelled from city to city, the country’s healthcare system collapsed amid the conflict. Hospitals were bombed, doctors fled. Their dad left to find work to pay for the bills.
The family finally found hope in a displacement camp in Gedaref, 250 miles from home. There they met Save the Children staff, who helped the family with everything they needed to get Ali and Nour’s childhoods back on track: beds, mattresses, kitchen supplies, school uniforms, shoes, and nutritious food.
Recognising Ali’s challenges, we sourced a motorised wheelchair. “This has changed my life — I can reach school on time and move more easily. I now believe things will get better.”
We’ve changed Ali and Nour’s names to help keep them safe.
Girl Power
Adel and friends joke around whilst posing for photos at their school in Kasai, DRC
Shehab reading with one of her new friends at our Girls' Empowerment Centre. Now that she's back in school she has big ambitions. She wants to become a lawyer: "So, that I can defend vulnerable people... and protect their rights."
Photo: Kate Stanworth / Save the Children
“Marie likes to laugh a lot. And then there’s Regine, Regine doesn’t know what she wants. And Agnes really likes to eat. Gloire likes everything. The one who’s most competitive with me is Marlene.”
As she hangs out with this brilliant group of girls, it’s hard to believe that a year ago Adel – in the centre of the photo – didn’t have any friends.
She’d had to drop out of school. Her dad couldn’t afford the school fees because his work as a diamond miner is sporadic.
Less than half of girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo go to secondary school. Save the Children is determined to help change that, covering fees for thousands of girls like Adel, training teachers, building and renovating classrooms, and installing toilets.
Now Adel is back in school and excelling, especially in maths and French. She’s even been made head girl.
“I’m so happy because before I didn’t use to study,” says Adel. “Just having gone back to school makes me feel very lucky. Studying for a girl is so important. Before people would laugh at girls thinking that they were just meant to be married off.”
Adel is growing in confidence, discovering her potential and making friends for life. She dreams of being a nurse.
We’ve changed Adel and her friends’ names to help keep them safe.
SkateJam: Roll, create, activate. Where skateboarding meets climate action.
Leni, posing with the clay model she made at our Sheffield Summer of Play trip in 2024. We believe every child should have the opportunity to play during the summer months, so they can start the school year equipped and ready to learn.
Photo credits (banner and above): Joshua Atkins / Save the Children
For aspiring and accomplished young skaters alike, SkateJam was a no-brainer.
For one brilliant day, children got the chance to take part in free skate lessons, art workshops, and a community skate competition, while learning about issues like gender equality, climate change, and mental health.
Save the Children teamed up with the Keep Rolling Project, which brings young people together through skateboarding and education, to host SkateJam in North London.
We also collaborated on the film Climate Change the World, which united young skaters and videographers from the UK, Indonesia, Nepal and Bangladesh to call for urgent climate action.
Get in touch
Got questions about your fundraising page or team text code? Email [email protected]. Got questions about Christmas Jumper Day? Email [email protected] or call 0207 012 6400.
