Our precious resource – children

Gita Sundararaman (President of the United Nations Women’s Guild 1998-2002)

Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow. Time silently passes away. All the idealism of youth, which fires one’s strength to do good in this world, dies. There is so much complacency, apathy and refusal to see how the most precious of our resources – children – are being deprived of the basic needs; we the adults have become indifferent and do nothing to remove their misery. Why is there no end to helping them, some ask. I would ask the same question of them. If all the children in the world were provided with education, health care, food, clothing and skills to become self-reliant, then there would be no appeal for help. This article would not be necessary. We (the adults) have an obligation to do our utmost to ensure that world’s less fortunate children are cared for and protected. The UNWG actively and consistently promotes this aim.

Founded in 1970, the United Nations Women’s Guild Geneva has as one of its main objectives: “to assist children in need throughout the world”. It carried this out by raising and donating funds to many small non-governmental projects for the welfare of children (and young mothers) in different parts of the world. Improving health care, meeting the basic needs of children, alleviating the suffering of starving children, increasing the self-reliance of youth in communities and, most of all, contributing to children’s education by way of the UNWG Scholarship Fund – such are the bases for children’s education by way of the UNWG Scholarship Fund – such are the bases for funding. All this the UNWG meets by having various fund raising activities of which the largest is the Annual Bazaar. This is held every year at the Palais des Nations. This year the UNWG Bazaar will take place on Tuesday, 23 November 2004 from 10 am to 4 pm.

Since the Bazaar started in a modest way several years ago, the UNWG has supported over 600 projects in over 100 countries from the proceeds of the Bazaar, including its fabulous lottery. All of the money raised goes to the projects. All the members of the Guild work as volunteers to organise this Bazaar, and together with the Permanent Missions, the United Nations Organisation Geneva, and the city, the canton and the very generous donors of Geneva, the Guild is able to support on an average 70 projects every year world-wide. This year Mme Halldora Hermannsdottir, wife of the Ambassador from Iceland and Mme Cornelia Sultan- Khan, wife of the Chef de Cabinet (UN High Commission for Refugees) are Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Bazaar, assisted by an able and enthusiastic committee.

The guild has developed and publishes guidelines for applications. The members sponsoring the projects act as field officers and follow-up on the use of the funds. Details of the projects with the names, objectives and amounts requested are considered and decided upon by the members of the UNWG Executive Committee. Once the decisions are made, the funds are transferred to the projects directly.

Next month, the Guild will remind you again of the Bazaar and its aims. We appeal to all those working in the United Nations to come to the Bazaar and join us in this effort, however shall. Bring a smile to a child – out most valuable resource – no matter where it is in the world!