Australians supporting the UN Refugee Agency

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Australian donors have helped improve the lives of Somali women in the region.

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Socceroo Mark Schwarzer asks for support for Gift of Childhood Appeal.

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Photo Gallery The Gift of Childhood

Sport, recreation and play can provide children affected by war and conflict with hope and a sense of normality.

UNHCR's sports programs play an important role in rebuilding the hope of children whose lives have been shattered and demoralised by fighting and displacement. The power of sport draws upon team spirit, social inclusion and mutual respect.

UNHCR's Youth sports programs in countries such as Uganda, Thailand, Pakistan and Rwanda, aim to increase children's learning opportunities, empower girls, and most importantly, help give children back their childhood.

Students ready to begin a lesson in the new Nakivale School building in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda. UNHCR believes education is a basic right, one that is vital in restoring hope and dignity to people driven from their homes. © Thomas Mukayo / Australia for UNHCR Aliyah Sarwaree, 11, studies at a private English school in Kabul, Afghanistan. UNHCR works to ensure the right to education for all people of concern to UNHCR by achieving universal primary education and more opportunities for post-primary education including secondary, vocational training and adult education. © Natalie Behring-Chisholm / July 14, 2002Female returnees to Sri Lanka attend an UNHCR-funded support group to discuss sexual and gender-based violence. © UNHCR / R. ChalasaniYoung Vietnamese returnees attend class in a UNHCR-supported school in Dong Nai Province. UNHCR provides education services in all phases of operations such as care and maintenance, local settlement and integration, repatriation and even during emergencies. © UNHCR / L. TaylorSterling plays football with classmates from the UNHCR Learning Circle. Sterling used to feel angry about being the oldest child in his class but now he tries to set an example for the younger kids. UNHCR's ninemillion campaign aims to provide a healthy and safe learning environment for nine million refugee children by 2010. © www.ninemillion.org / UNHCR / P. SmithChildren in Al Tanf on the Iraq/Syria border, play football next to the main highway from Iran to Syria. UNHCR/B. AugerMoe Ngo Thu and Phywint Nyein, two refugee children from Myanmar, use facilities sponsored by the Right To Play project at Umpium Refugee Camp, Thailand. © UNHCR / R. Arnold / January 2008Somali refugee children watching the Camp Sadako Cup soccer tournament organised by UNHCR in Kenya. Congolese refugee girls play a game of basketball in Kala Camp, Kawambwa, Zambia. © UNHCR / N. Behring / March 2003Basketball playing in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya. © UNHCR / A. Webster / December 2006Refugees from Myanmar at Umpium Refugee Camp, Thailand, using facilities sponsored by the Right To Play project. © UNHCR / R. Arnold / January 2008