This past week, the BBC4 website broadcast "the Children's War," a documentary about the work done by the Italian NGO Organization. Unfortunately, most of us in the States were unable to see this telecast.

I was introduced to Emergency by Ivan Leone, whom you may remember I interviewed for the FPS website a few months back. On my own, I googled the organization and found out much more.

Emergency is an independent, neutral and non-political Italian organization (NGO) which provides free medical/surgical treatment to civilian casualties of war and poverty, especially children. They offer free, high quality medical and surgical treatment to these victims of war and poverty. In this way, they promote solidarity, peace, and respect for human rights between peoples as well as countries, as they help victims recover and regain their dignity and self-respect.

The show, which was broadcast on two consecutive nights, followed the lives of two children, one with a heart condition, the other wounded by an exploding landmine, a 6-year-old Afghanistani boy and a 15-year-old Sudanese boy--and how they have been placed on the road to recovery by Emergency's assistance.

If anyone is lucky enough to have viewable access to the BBC website, the program can still be seen at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00j4c2v.

More information on the Italian NGO Emergency can be found at the US website:

http://www.emergencyusa.org/nuovo_sito/pages/index.php or the UK one: http://www.emergencyuk.org/.

The sita officiale is: http://www.emergency.it/menu.php?A=001&SA=003&ln=En.

5 comments

  1. Jianne Carlo // March 15, 2009 at 1:20 PM  

    Thank you Toni for pointing this organization out. They do amazing work. I'll certainly be donating.

    Jianne

  2. Mary Ricksen // March 15, 2009 at 4:15 PM  

    Jianne said it perfectly, this organization does amazing work.
    The fact that we never see or hear about these programs is certainly disconcerting. We all sit her well and for the most part healthy, and there are people, children, out there needing our help. It's so sad.

  3. Scarlet Pumpernickel // March 15, 2009 at 6:31 PM  

    Glad your friend pointed out this very worthy organization. Their work should not go unnoticed.

    Scarlet

  4. Mary Marvella // March 15, 2009 at 8:21 PM  

    I had no idea. Thanks for the information.

  5. Josie // March 16, 2009 at 8:59 AM  

    Thank you, Toni, for your valuable post. I had no idea about this organization until now.