Dolphin supported the 2009 UNICEF Day for Change in aid of well-being programmes for children in Papua New Guinea on Friday 6^th February. Dolphin children came to school wearing one of the colours of the Papua New Guinea flag and made a donation to the appeal, raising over £200.

During the day the children learned about UNICEF’s work, the Children’s Charter and the conditions children face in Papua New Guinea. After a special assembly the children thoroughly enjoyed gathering together to try and create the flag of Papua New Guinea.

UNICEF is the world’s leading organisation working for children and their rights, working with local communities, partner organisations and governments in more than 150 countries to help every child realise their full potential.

UNICEF is working in Papua New Guinea as part of a joined-up approach to ensure children’s health and well-being, for example, by supporting the “Home Fit for Children” approach, whereby communities and health workers are all involved in keeping children healthy and safe.

Health and well-being are basic rights for all children. But in Papua New Guinea achieving this right is sometimes difficult: reaching remote areas involves crossing deep valleys and steep mountains, and outlying islands are only accessible by dangerous boat trips. This means that often children do not even receive basic vaccinations: 40 per cent of children have not been immunized against measles. Papua New Guinea was declared free from polio in 2000, but today two out of ten children have still not been immunised against it. Pregnant women have to walk for hours to their nearest health centre, meaning that only one in ten births is in a health facility.

Dolphin’s support will help make sure that children can grow up in a safe, supportive environment, and that their rights to survive and develop healthily are met.