UNICEF

Since 1994, Key Club has been Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF and over the years has raised nearly $5 million for Iodine deficiency programs worldwide, HIV and AIDS programs in Kenya and Swaziland and now we turn our attention to Uruguay.

About UNICEF

UNICEF, the only organization of the United Nations dedicated exclusively to children,works with other United Nations bodies, governments and non-governmental organizations to assist in children’s needs through community-based services in primary health care, basic education, and safe water and sanitation in more than 140 developing countries.

UNICEF shares the Kiwanis family’s global commitment to children and has provided its extensive resources and leadership to assist in the Worldwide Service Project to virtually eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) from the globe.

Operation Uruguay: Protecting the Rights of Children

Operation Uruguay: Protecting the Rights of Children UNICEF United States Fund and Key Club InternationalIn June, the four Key Club ambassadors to UNICEF traveled to Uruguay to learn about the problems facing young people there. Their story appears in the September 2009 issue of Key Club magazine.

Even though the population of Uruguay is small compared to other countries in the region, nearly half a million of the country's children and adolescents live in poverty.

The situation is especially serious in the case of adolescents living outside the capital, Montevideo, where the lack of opportunities and spaces for participation, learning and recreation, contribute to poverty, social exclusion, high rates of school drop-out and failure and teen pregnancy.

The high drop-out rate is one of the most critical problems the country needs to face in order to ensure development. According to a study based on a group of students from public high schools, only 40 percent of students enrolled in the first year finish the basic cycle on time, and only one in three graduates.

Through the creation and management of socio-educative and cultural centers, funds raised by Key Clubbers will help reduce the social vulnerability factors for those adolescents under the most critical situations (living on the streets, lack of education, job opportunities, and social services).

Specifically funds will be used to support the Mandalavos Center, a pilot project started in 2008 that works on a local level to ensure the rights of youth to education, health and basic services and family support; and to create new centers to ensure the rights of all youth to education, health, protection, access to public services and family support.

All centers focus on specific strategies to help Uruguayan ‘street children’ reintegrate into the community: school support; intervention to reduce social vulnerability factors; empowerment of families; healthy skills attitudes and behavior; participation and communication skills and socio-cultural activities; and building a positive image.

Key Club has a set a goal to raise $1.5 million through Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF for Operation Uruguay.

Find out more about Operation Uruguay.

How can you help?

You can participate in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. Created, inspired and powered by kids since 1950, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has empowered generations to make lasting change in their global community. Check out Key Club International's donation totals for the past year.

Visit the UNICEF website
Visit the UNICEF United States Fund website
Watch a video featuring the Key Club ambassadors to UNICEF and the Mandalavos Center.