Earlier this year, Mulligan travelled to Lebanon, where she met Banine, a 17-year-old Lebanese girl whose village was destroyed by bombing. Through War Child’s psychosocial programs, she explained, Banine was able to start studying again after the trauma had initially left her unable to leave her room. “War Child’s psychosocial work is world-leading, genuinely life-changing. They’re not just making contact; children go through full programs with trained psychologists and educators,” Mulligan said. Last night, Banine herself stood on stage to share her story, embodying the very real impact of War Child’s work.
“When I started working with War Child, there were 230 million children affected by conflict. Now it’s about 490 million.” Mulligan told me, highlighting programs which focus on education, child protection, reunification and mental health, ensuring children not only survive conflict but can rebuild their lives. Helen Pattinson, CEO of War Child UK, added: “Last year, we reached over two million children and their carers. This has ballooned from the 70,000 children we reached ten years ago. That’s the best indicator to explain the impact the wassail has made. The difference is astounding.” For more than 30 years, War Child has been working in some of the most dangerous conflict zones to protect children, support their education and mental health, and stand up for their rights. A particular focus this year has been adapting War Child’s award-winning tablet-based learning to make it accessible to children in Gaza who have lost their sight or limbs—one of the organization’s long-term goals that will be made possible by last night’s fundraising.
“The biggest message of the night is always: look at the dumb luck that meant we were born here and not there. We’re not helpless. There’s always something we can do,” Mulligan said. Last night’s wassail captured that spirit perfectly, and embodied the hope, purpose and shared commitment to changing the lives of children living through conflict across the world.