1. family and parenting
2. children

Annual Report 2012
Annual Report 2012
War Child Canada
Vision and Mission
War Child’s mission is to work with war-affected communities to
help children reclaim their childhood through access to education,
opportunity and justice. War Child takes an active role in raising
public awareness around the impact of war on communities and
the shared responsibility to act.
War Child’s vision is for a world where no child knows war.
War Child Canada
Board of Directors
Nils Engelstad
Chair
Leslie Beveridge
Jeffrey Orridge
Kali Galanis
Aubrey Charette
Martha McCarthy
All photos © War Child Canada. All beneficiary names have been changed for their own protection.
Cover photo: children at an early childhood development class in Afghanistan.
Table of Contents
Message from the Executive Director and the Chair
2
The Work
3
How War Child Works
3
Why Childhood Matters
4
War Child’s Purpose
4
The Importance of Investing in Childhood
6
A Child-Centred Approach
7
Long-Term Social Impact
7
Local Investment and Capacity Building Model
7
Education8
Opportunity10
Justice12
The Campaign
14
Independent Auditor’s Report
15
Music and Special Initiatives
18
Appeal for Congo
20
War Child Heroes
21
Thank Yous
22
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
1
MESSAGE
from the Executive Director and the Chair
Dear Friends,
For Western leaders, 2012 was a year when wishful thinking gave way
to harsh reality. The so-called ‘Arab Spring’, which was met with such
enthusiasm, revealed itself to be anything but a triumphant march
from tyranny to democracy. The revolutions of 2011 have brought about
situations that are complex, unpredictable, and extremely dangerous.
The civil war that erupted in Syria is its ugliest manifestation,
with the potential to draw in the entire region into a religious and
ethnic maelstrom.
In Afghanistan, people are preparing for the 2014 departure of the
last Western combat troops, coinciding with elections that could see
the return of the Taliban and all that comes with them. Meanwhile,
in Africa, a rebel uprising in the Democratic Republic of Congo
demonstrated that peace without progress is volatile and can quickly
return to bloodshed. War Child responded to the upsurge in violence
with an urgent appeal (see page 20) in which over $200,000 was raised
in a matter of weeks. In Afghanistan, our empowerment of young
mothers is changing the attitudes of entire communities towards the
role of women and girls in society.
The context in which War Child operates is complicated. The problems
are global – yet manifest themselves locally - and the answers are
difficult. To have an impact on children’s lives in such situations
requires, above all, focus. And that is why War Child invested a
lot of effort in 2012 on just that - defining our core purpose and
concentrating our efforts accordingly.
As you will see in the pages that follow, we are dedicated to the
restoration of childhood. We use that word deliberately. A childhood
lasts many years and when it is interrupted by conflict it cannot be
restored in an instant. To rebuild communities that allow childhood
to thrive can take a generation. Through a commitment to long-term
investment, we have seen communities become robust enough to
prevent the return to violence.
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War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
We made significant progress in 2012. It is reflected in the experiences
of the 375,000 people we had the privilege of working with. We see
it in the children catching up with their education, the families who
have become financially independent, and in the communities who are
finally experiencing justice. You can read some of their experiences in
this report.
The goals War Child set in its five-year strategic plan are ambitious
but they are not unattainable. We believe that we have the staff and the
organization to reach and surpass them. There is always more we can
do. The horrifying violence of war stubbornly persists and the terrible
images continue to flood our news media. But if we continue to stand
together in the face of such atrocities, our experience demonstrates
that great transformations are possible.
Yours,
Samantha Nutt
Founder and Executive Director
Nils Engelstad
Chair of the Board of Directors
THE WORK
How War Child Works
War Child Canada strives to address one of the greatest challenges
facing humanity today: the impact of war and violence associated with
civil unrest and armed conflict. Millions of children have died as a
direct result of armed conflict over the last decade. Millions more have
been forced to flee their homes because of conflict and human rights
violations. According to 2006 estimates, more than 1 billion children
under the age of 18 were living in areas in conflict or emerging from
war. Of these, an estimated 300 million were under the age of five, and
more than 18 million children were refugees or internally displaced.
Since then, conflicts in Africa and the Middle East have added to
these numbers. Children are forced to contend with the presence of
landmines, malnutrition, and an increased risk of illness and disease.
They face enormous obstacles to their development, including:
difficulty in accessing education, discrimination, sexual exploitation,
other violations of their basic and human rights, and the destruction
of the social fabric of their community.
Where War Child Works
Afghanistan
Since 2003, War Child has been working with the Afghanistan
Women’s Council to improve the lives of vulnerable women
and their children. This project has been providing women
in the poorest neighbourhoods of Kabul and Jalalabad with
training in basic literacy and numeracy, life skills and small
business management, as well as access to loans. Many of the
participants have become successful business owners and are
now mentoring others in their communities. In order to create
a supportive environment for women and children to thrive,
there is a focus on engaging male community members to raise
awareness about effective parenting and women and children’s
rights to education. The initiative has placed Afghan women
on the path to self-sufficiency and is a major step forward for
children’s and women’s basic human rights.
Organizations confronting these issues are faced with the
deterioration and absence of infrastructure, skills, expertise, training
and knowledge.
Children whose lives are impacted by armed conflict have a right to
the attention and protection of the international community. Children
are less equipped than adults to adapt or respond to conflict. They are
the least responsible for conflict, yet suffer disproportionately from
its excesses. Children represent the hopes and future of every society;
destroy them and you have destroyed a society.
Children at an early childhood development class while their
mothers receive training.
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
3
Where War Child Works
Democratic Republic of Congo
With its longstanding school rehabilitation project in South
Kivu, War Child identified a need for education within a vastly
under-served group—women. Completed in early 2012, War
Child piloted a women’s basic education project, reaching 225
women, many of whom now run small-scale businesses and act
as the sole breadwinners in their households. Training these
women on basic numeracy and literacy skills has facilitated
management of household income and increased opportunities
for their children. Also crucial to the healthy development of
their children is the protection of women in an environment rife
with conflict and abuse. Staggering rates of sexual and genderbased violence in the Congo call for a community-wide approach.
War Child has run community sensitization campaigns educating
participants on various forms of sexual violence, women’s
rights and stigmatization of survivors. War Child has also
conducted workshops with local justice, health and psychosocial
organizations to combat the crisis. Having identified local
partners in some of the most remote communities in eastern
Congo, War Child’s collaboration with them is improving their
capacity in the areas of protection and prevention in a country
that has been called ‘the worst place to be a woman.’
Sierra Leone
War Child has been working since 2009 to improve the lives
of children and young people who continue to suffer from rights
violations, gender-based violence and a lack of employment
opportunities in Sierra Leone. War Child is partnered with
Artists United for Children and Youth Development (AUCAYD)
- a local youth-run non-profit organization that uses the arts,
media, technology and culture to engage and mobilize young
people on pressing social issues. War Child has provided
AUCAYD with training and capacity building support, which has
helped the organization to establish a community resource
centre and produce advocacy documentaries, short films and
music to discuss issues facing children and youth. In addition,
War Child has helped develop the AUCAYD school network,
which engages hundreds of youths to address social issues
among their peers and wider communities.
Children and their teachers at a school
rebuilt by War Child.
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War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
Why Childhood Matters
Childhood is the crucial developmental period of life. It is when the
seeds of the future are sown. The experiences of childhood can have
an enormous impact on adulthood. If childhood is taken away and
replaced with the brutality of war – the chances of a society becoming
trapped in a cycle of violence and poverty are greatly increased.
War Child’s Purpose
War Child’s intention is to restore the opportunities for emotional,
intellectual and social development that a stable childhood brings.
This is especially important in a post-conflict context. The period
between the end of war and the point at which a country is ready
for full-scale development is treacherous. A lack of employment
opportunities, an absence of effective economic or social structures,
a destroyed infrastructure, an under-educated population and a
culture of impunity for rights abusers combine to create conditions
that make a return to conflict all too possible.
Where War Child Works
Sudan (Darfur)
War Child has established eight youth centres in internally
displaced persons camps in West Darfur, to mitigate the dangers
faced by young people and bring a level of normalcy to their
lives. The centres offer a protective environment in which young
people can engage in activities that teach skills that improve
their opportunities to generate an income. They are also offered
psychosocial support.
The centres also provide accelerated learning to improve
numeracy and literacy, as well as workshops in health, selfprotection and gender-based violence prevention. In addition,
War Child offers vocational training opportunities to teach
marketable skills to young people. The young people themselves
are given leadership roles at the centres and are encouraged to
organize recreational activities such as team sports and music.
War Child is unique in running the only long-term development
program in the region,which is otherwise still categorized by
short-term, often brief, relief assistance.
South Sudan
A year after declaring its independence, South Sudan remains
one of the least developed and most unstable places in the
world. Political tensions with Sudan and ongoing internal tribal
conflicts have resulted in a situation of near-permanent armed
conflict in the world’s youngest country. Children and young
people are the most severely affected and represent more than
half of the population. The country faces a crisis in education
with low enrollment rates and an acute shortage of skilled
teachers. War Child began work in September 2012 to improve
the state of education in South Sudan by providing much needed
training for teachers as well as opportunities for young people,
especially young women, to return to school. War Child will
develop training materials in functional literacy and numeracy,
and will offer both agricultural and non-agricultural based
vocational training. War Child also aims to provide capacity
building support to the Upper Nile Youth Development Agency
(UNYDA) – a local organization that has built strong ties with the
region’s youth, communities and government.
This is the point at which the cycle of violence must be broken by
creating circumstances in which the next generation – the children –
can develop into healthy, educated and productive adults, capable of
leading their community towards a sustainable peace.
The investment in childhood during this post-war period is not a quick
fix. It is a sustained, long-term effort to address weaknesses within
the support structures for children as they grow up – be they within
families, communities or society as a whole. And while the investment
is not necessarily directly with the children, the focus is always on
their successful development. This bridge between emergency and
development – in the context of conflict-affected countries – is where
War Child’s efforts to restore childhood are essential. The lag between
service provision from the international community and relief agencies
during a crisis and the point at which services can be adequately
provided by national and local governments can be years. By giving
children access to education, opportunity and justice, and empowering
communities to support them and protect their rights, War Child has
seen communities rise from the ashes of war.
Nakimo and two of her six children,
in her village in South Sudan.
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
5
Where War Child Works
Uganda
The conflict between government forces and the notorious
Lord’s Resistance Army in northern Uganda had a devastating
impact on children and women throughout the 1980s and
90s. Despite a 2008 ceasefire, women and children’s rights
continue to be violated. A lack of respect and enforcement of
the law compounded by a culture of impunity have resulted in
inadequate means to prevent and respond to these widespread
offences. To this end, War Child provides free legal assistance to
children and women across the region. As a result, women and
children are able to seek justice when they experience violence
such as domestic abuse, rape, assault and neglect. War Child
also implements a number of programs to promote awareness
and understanding of women and children’s rights. In addition,
War Child provides training for justice and legal actors to ensure
that they are aware of their responsibility to protect women and
children and to respond to cases of rights violations, including
sexual and gender-based violence.
A War Child information table at a public event
in northern Uganda.
The Importance of Investing in Childhood
Beyond the obvious moral and ethical reasons for ensuring children
grow up in safe, supportive environments, there are measurable
societal benefits from investing in childhood. Children are, from an
economic perspective, valuable future human capital. The well being
of society as a whole is dependent upon the ability of the children
within it to become productive contributors. Educated and healthy
workers are better able to contribute to economic growth, since they
are more easily able to acquire the knowledge and skills required in
a changing economic environment. Economic development is a major
driver of peace.
Another important reason to invest in children is the overwhelming
size of this population in developing countries. By 2015 it is estimated
that 88% of the world’s youth will be living in developing countries.
World Bank figures show that in the countries in which War Child
operates, the percentage of the population under 14 years of age
is staggering:
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War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
Afghanistan – 46%
Sierra Leone – 43%
Haiti – 36%
Democratic Republic of Congo – 46%
Uganda – 48%
Sudan – 40%
Ethiopia – 41%
The demographic potential of these children is immense.
If we fail to invest in childhood the negative consequences for
society are extensive. We lose the chance to break the poverty cycle
and the effects of poverty on a child’s development can negatively
impact society later in life. Children who are not able to experience
a stable childhood are far more likely to engage in risky behavior,
including substance abuse, crime and violence. It is estimated that
the consequences cost societies billions of dollars.
A Child-Centred Approach
War Child’s approach to child-centered development in conflict and
post-conflict settings applies and adapts Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological
Theory of Child-Centered Development. This model focuses on the
systems of relationships that children experience based on their
environment. These include the immediate family situation, their
community, and the societal landscape that steers their development
as driven by local and central government policy. In addition, the
international community has a role in shaping the phases of conflict
and post-conflict recovery.
To ensure a real, substantial and positive impact on the life of a child,
War Child recognizes the need for program interventions that target
both children directly, and the multiple layers of relationships and
influencers in their lives.
Long-Term Social Impact
War Child recognizes that social impact can be achieved at multiple
levels associated with the relationships and layers of influence that
affect the lives of children. Positive changes or conflict in any one layer
of influence will ripple throughout other layers. Providing education,
skills training and creating protective environments for young people
and parents creates substantial change in the lives of families and
local communities, thereby impacting the lives of children in a
substantial way. Additionally, it is critical to work with local authorities,
governments and the international community to strengthen the
quality of education, improve vocational standards, and support the
creation and implementation of child-friendly policies.
A mother and child in a refugee camp in Darfur, Sudan.
Local Investment and Capacity Building Model
War Child believes in investment at a local level, focused on the
capacity of individuals, communities and partner organizations
to independently deliver program activities. Partnerships and
collaboration with civil society, children and youth groups, local and
national leadership, and the children and families we work with are
instrumental to the implementation of effective programming.
Partnerships that result in community ownership stem from the
engagement at each step of the project cycle with local people.
War Child Canada supports and improves the capabilities of its
partners in order to achieve sustainable change and to ensure that our
interventions do not create a legacy of dependency.
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
7
Case Study
Education
Jahedah is a tailor in Kabul,
Afghanistan. It is a skill she
learned while participating in
War Child’s Afghan Women’s
Community Support Project.
She has taught her unemployed
husband to help out with her
small business. In one of the two
family rooms she has two sewing
machines – one for her, one
for him.
Jahedah’s priority is her
children’s education. War Child
runs early childhood development
programming and she has seen
the tremendous difference
it has made to her children.
Her daughter, Aliah (pictured),
completed the program last year
and is now in first grade. “I am
not worried about Aliah anymore,”
Jahedah tells us proudly. “She
used to be so shy but now she is
so responsible. She gets herself
ready for school in the morning
and always does her homework.
Once a week I check her schoolwork in her notebook. Her
teacher told me that she would
be lucky if all her students were
like her.”
Aliah walks half an hour each
morning to school. She is a
good student and recently placed
third in her class of 55 for the
mid-term exams. “I go to school
at 6am and come home at
10am. My favourite subjects are
arithmetic and Dari. My school
teacher likes my handwriting very
much because I write very nicely.”
“Seeing these changes in my
daughter,” says Jahedah, “made
me determined to send my
youngest son to the childhood
development program.”
Aliah’s baby brother, Nasir (also
pictured), is four-years-old and,
thanks to the program, can
already count up to 20. He is not
afraid to talk to anyone about
his hopes and dreams. “I want
to become a doctor.” He says
confidently.
The Aghan Women’s Community
Support Project creates
opportunities for the most
impoverished women in Kabul
and Jalalabad. There are classes
in literacy, numeracy, life skills
and vocational training. In
this last phase of the project,
the women have access to
microfinance loans to open
a small business, as well as
business development support to
develop a market for their goods.
Through the program, women
like Jahedah who were previously
destitute are now able to provide
for their children’s future.
Children learning in a Early
Childhood Development
class in Kabul
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War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
13 000
,
TEXT BOOKS
distributed by War Child in Geneina, west Darfur
Education is every child’s right. It can also
be a matter of life and death. The children
of uneducated mothers are more likely to
die in infancy than those whose mothers
can read. An uneducated population is less
able to participate in the governance process
and has fewer opportunities to have a say
in decision making about their community’s
development.
War Child’s educational programming
provides children and youth with
opportunities for learning in a protected
space, free from exploitation and abuse.
In areas where formal education is not
available, War Child works to rebuild
schools, run catch-up education programs
and provide training in basic life skills.
War Child’s education programming
reached 150,000 people in 2012.
15,000
students benefitted from peace and
integration studies in IDP camps in
Darfur, Sudan
45
OVER
2000
children
attended class
at War Child
child protection
centres in Port
au Prince, Haiti.
At a District School
in Darfur,
69%
of students passing
exams were
GIRLS
245
children aged
4–6 yrs old
orphans and disabled children
in one Darfur District are able
to attend school because of
War Child’s assistance
attended early childhood
development classes in
Afghanistan
6250
students given
alternative learning
classes in Darfur,
Sudan
EFG 225 WOMEN
attended literacy and numeracy
classes as part of a pilot
program in rural areas in the
Democratic Republic of Congo.
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
9
Young men learning carpentry skills
in Darfur, Sudan.
Opportunity
Case Study
When he was 17, a brutal attack on his Darfur village
forced Khald and his brothers and sisters to flee their
village and seek safety in the nearby town of Jebel
Moon. It was here that they heard rumours of a newly
established camp for displaced people outside the
regional capital, El Geneina.
Fearing that the women would be attacked by rebels,
Khalid and his brothers decided to leave the sisters
behind in Jebel Moon with extended family members
while they investigated the El Geneina camp.
“It was a very difficult time for us, we didn’t know what
was going to happen,” says Khalid as he recalls his
decision to separate from his family that night.
Khalid and his brothers found refuge in the Rayad
camp, run by the United Nations Refugee Agency.
The brothers waited for six months before they made
the dangerous return journey to fetch their sisters
and reunite the family.
He joined War Child’s training program and learned
how to make construction bricks, which provided a
small income for him and his family. From this new
skill, he was able to rent a small house just outside
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War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
of the camp. Soon, Khalid began volunteering at
a War Child sponsored committee for young people
living in the camps and the surrounding area.
Reflecting on his personal growth, he says, “Through
the youth committee, I was able to attend War Child
trainings and learn many new skills such as leadership
skills, life skills and volunteerism. I gained a lot of self
confidence through my involvement.”
But Khalid wasn’t just stopping there. In 2011, he
was elected head of the youth committee at Rayad.
“I regularly go and speak with other youth who are
still in the camp for displaced people at Rayad,” he
says with a confident smile. “I have gained the respect
of many other young people and feel proud of myself.
I feel we are able to have a positive influence on many
other young people in this area.”
Khalid’s inspiring story is typical of those we hear
from our program in Darfur. By offering young people
opportunities to grow, we foster a safer and more
stable environment for the community as a whole.
493
$
In Afghanistan 3970 family members in
Afghanistan have improved living conditions
and health and financial security as a result
of War Child programming.
0
In conflict and post-conflict areas, families
often end up destitute and unable to
provide the basics of life for their children.
Young people are particularly vulnerable,
because without a means of earning a
living, the range of positive options narrows
considerably. This is why the second
cornerstone of War Child’s programming
is vocational training. The program’s
livelihoods component aims to create
opportunities for young people to gain the
skills that they need to secure dignified
economic employment and income for
themselves and their families. War Child
also operates microfinance programs to
help set up small businesses.
A stable family income improves children’s
prospects, by providing them with easier
access to basic needs and the building
blocks for a secure future.
War Child’s opportunities programming
reached 55,000 people in 2012.
male community leaders received
gender sensitivity training in support
of War Child’s work empowering
Afghan women.
men who interfered
Women made
99%
with Afghan women’s
project following
community outreach
efforts.
of regular loan
repayments on time.
10 835
,
farmers
received improved
crop seeds in Darfur.
War Child
has opened
4
demonstration
farms in Darfur for
training purposes.
17 000
,
ANIMALS
33 000
,
ANIMALS
were vaccinated
against common
diseases, including
7000 sheep.
mainly goats and
sheep – were
treated and
de-wormed in
Darfur.
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
11
Case Study
Charles is a police constable
in northern Uganda.
Charles recently completed
War Child’s sexual and
gender-based violence
(SGBV) training. He felt he
urgently needed to get a
better understanding of the
pervasive problem of sexual
violence in his region.
Justice
Rape is commonplace in
northern Uganda, and often
the victims are children.
Charles’ community has only
one rural police outpost, so
War Child’s training was a
great opportunity to expand
his skill set.
He didn’t expect that shortly
after the training, his little
sister would be raped.
You can imagine his horror at
hearing this news. It is hard
to contemplate the pain she
must have felt as she told him
the details. But with his new
skills, at least Charles knew
what to do. He had her taken
to the hospital for HIV testing,
a medical examination and a
rape kit. He then ensured that
the perpetrator was tracked
down and brought to justice.
Charles has made a personal
commitment to ensuring
that parents and community
leaders have the information
they need to help prevent
sexual violence. He is
already seeing the results
of his efforts.
“Members of the community
have shown an increasing
commitment to the
prevention of sexual violence.
I see it in the number of
cases reported to me. Before
my community interventions,
the number of child abuse
cases was very worrying and
only one or two a month were
actually reported.”
The work that War Child is
doing in northern Uganda
– and many other countries
– is essential. For Charles’
little sister, he feared her
childhood was stolen from
her the day she was raped.
But now that her perpetrator
is behind bars, she has
the opportunity to carry on
with her life and become a
productive, valuable member
of her community.
A War Child workshop on sexual and gender-based
violence in northern Uganda.
Charles outside his police station in Darfur.
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War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
When surveyed by War Child, 90% of
community organizations in eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo stated that
there was a pressing need for sexual and
gender-based violence prevention and
protection training.
691
survivors of gender-based violence
in Haiti given access to medical
consultations and legal assistance.
2500
When a country is at war, legal structures
break down quickly and it can be a
prolonged process to rebuild them. Women
and children are frequently the victims of
severe human rights violations – especially
sexual violence – in conflict and post-conflict
communities. The atrocities and abuses
of war can become ingrained, creating a
culture of impunity in which sexual violence
goes unpunished.
Ugandans called
War Child’s toll-free
number for sexual
and gender-based
violence services.
700
cases in northern Uganda were
registered for facilitation through
alternative dispute resolution.
War Child is dedicated to overcoming this
and ensuring that women and children’s
rights are both understood and respected
by communities and the law enforcement
officials who oversee them.
War Child’s programming provides direct
legal representation to children and
women in need of protection, as well as
comprehensive community sensitization and
training of legal and justice officials.
War Child’s justice programming reached
175,000 people in 2012.
Uganda
50,000
rural Ugandans heard
War Child’s public
service announcements
on local radio.
6365
brochures on sexual and
gender-based violence
were distributed in rural
northern Uganda.
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
13
The Campaign
To firmly establish the renewed focus on protecting and restoring
childhood, War Child’s pro bono agency, john st., created a multichannel campaign in the fall. It included a website and social redesign,
online video, TV and radio spots and posters. The online video alone
received over 100,000 views, our Facebook likes crossed the 10,000
threshold and significant airtime was provided by Bell Media, Corus
Entertainment, Astral Media and Shaw Media, among others.
Many thanks, as always, to john st., but also to all those who
contributed their efforts:
Soft Citizen – Production partner
Moxie Pictures – Production partner
AFS Productions – Production partner
Poster Boy – Post Production Editing
Crush – Post Production Online and Effects
Alter Ego – Post Production Transfer
Grayson Matthews - Audio
Keith Kennith – Music track
And finally, the video shoot was made possible by a generous donation
of one million Aeroplan Miles from Aeroplan’s Beyond Miles Program.
Many, many thanks to them.
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War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
INDEPENDeNT AUDITOR’s report
Report on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying financial statements of War Child
Canada, which comprise the balance sheets as at December 31, 2012
and December 31, 2011, and the statements of operations and changes
in net assets, and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2012
and December 31, 2011, and a summary of significant accounting
policies and other explanatory information.
Management’s Responsibility for the
Financial Statements
procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the
purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s
internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness
of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
presentation of the financial statements.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained in our audits is
sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our qualified audit opinion.
Basis for Qualified Opinion
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation
of these financial statements in accordance with Canadian accounting
standards for not-for-profit organizations, and for such internal control
as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation
of financial statements that are free from material misstatement,
whether due to fraud or error.
War Child Canada, in common with many other charitable organizations,
derives some of its revenue from donations which, by their nature,
are not susceptible to complete audit verification. Accordingly, our
verification of these revenues were limited to the amounts recorded in
the records of the organization and we were unable to determine whether
any adjustments might be necessary to donation revenue, excess of
revenue over expenditure, and net assets.
Auditors’ Responsibility
Qualified Opinion
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements
based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with
Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards
require that we comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform
the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements are free from material misstatement.
In our opinion, except for the effects of the matter described in the basis
for Qualified Opinion paragraph, the financial statements present fairly,
in all material respects, the financial position of War Child Canada as
at December 31, 2012, December 31, 2011, and January 1, 2011, and
the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years ended
December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011 in accordance with Canadian
accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations.
An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures
selected depend on the auditors’ judgment, including the assessment
of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements,
whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the
auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity’s preparation
and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit
McCay Duff LLP,
Licensed Public Accountants.
Ottawa, Ontario,
May 31, 2013.
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
15
Balance Sheet
CHARITABLE REG. #872374426RR0001
Assets December 31, 2012 December 31, 2011
Current Assets
Cash $527,112
$
1,301,748
Term deposits 1,316,7501,300,000
Grants receivable 124,57387,291
Accounts receivable 256,343295,200
Prepaid expenses and deposits 23,97026,071
2,248,7483,010,310
Furniture and equipment 31,86434,776
$2,280,612
$
3,045,086
Liabilities and Net Assets
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities Deferred contributions $68,460
$
33,709
286,1921,116,182
354,6521,149,891
Net Assets $2,280,612
16
War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
1,925,9601,895,195
$
3,045,086
Statement of Operations
Revenue December 31, 2012
December 31, 2011
Grants $4,274,159 $
5,916,397
Foundations 170,891362,225
Partnerships 1,344,306796,014
Donations 465,555730,081
Special events 209,032157,252
Cause marketing 190,93695,603
Interest income 18,76811,387
Other revenue 80,67613,016
$6,754,323
$8,055,943
EXPENDITURES
International programmes Partnership projects Programme support Educational programmes Resource development Public engagement $4,186,215
$
6,456,135
1,344,306796,014
585,578335,138
204,116141,902
248,744198,390
145,932108,937
$6,714,891
Surplus (Deficiency) on programme operations Less amortization 39,43219,427
(8,667)(13,510)
Excess of revenue over expenditure
$30,765
$8,036,516
$5,917
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
17
Music and Special Initiatives
The War Child Lounge takes on a life of its own
at Victoria’s Rifflandia Festival
War Child was welcomed back to Victoria, B.C. in September 2012 as
Rifflandia festival’s charity of choice. It was our most successful year to
date. Not only did Rifflandia donate two dollars from every ticket sold to
War Child, they also rallied their sponsors and other partners who came
up with innovative ways to raise funds for the charity across the many
arms of the festival. These included haircuts, face painting, a kid zone,
fashion show, sponsored silent auction, and donations.
The festival also introduced War Child to the The Zone @ 91-3, who
came on board as the media sponsor for the War Child Lounge,
providing hosts and promotional support, helping to pack the Atrium
with sold-out crowds on both days for performances by Mother Mother,
Sloan, Frazey Ford, Current Swell, Hey Ocean, Family of the Year, Luluc
and Rich Aucoin. The Zone @ 91-3 also hosted the first ever War Child
Winlandia auction for six weeks, providing Rifflandia attendees with
the chance to bid on signed swag, meet & greets and one-of-a-kind
items from featured artists.
“The highlight would have to be the outstanding showcase events at
the War Child Lounge in the Atrium. Everyone who attended, from
our announcer emcees, to the audience and artists, had a special and
intimate experience unlike any other at the festival!” Allie Bowman,
Assistant Promotions Director, The Zone @ 91-3
18
War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
Mother Mother perform at the War Child Lounge
as part of Rifflandia festival.
Another season under the stars
as Jackson-Triggs’ Charity of Choice
War Child was thrilled to return to the vineyards of Jackson-Triggs
Niagara Estate Winery as the charity of choice for their 2012 Summer
Amphitheatre Concert Series. These special evenings featured music
under the stars by some of our favourite supporting artists including
The Tragically Hip, Sam Roberts Band, Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine
Maida, Arkells, David Usher, Kathleen Edwards and more. JacksonTriggs offered up the ‘Best Seats in the House’ for each show so that
War Child could auction off packages for these sought after concerts.
The winery also kicked off the winter holiday season by hosting
their first ever indoor concert as a benefit evening for War Child.
The December 8th fundraiser took place in the winery’s Great Hall
and included an Explore Your Senses wine and culinary experience
featuring Celebrity Chef Lynn Crawford, a silent and live auction,
and a beautiful and intimate performance by award winning artists
Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida. It was an inspiring evening
of amazing hospitality, entertainment and altruism. War Child is
extremely grateful to Jackson-Triggs for setting the bar so high and
then exceeding all expectations.
“Truly heartfelt evening! Honored to be a part of it.
Thx to everyone’s generosity!!!” Raine Maida, Performing Artist,
An Evening with Raine & Chantal, 2012
Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida performing
at Jackson-Triggs for War Child.
Thank you to our Artist Supporters
Bilal Butt
Billy Talent
Brand New
Brendn
Chappo
Current Swell
Dearly Beloved
Eamon McGrath
Erin Passmore
Family of the Year
Frazey Ford
Great Lake Swimmers
Hey Ocean
Jonas & the Massive Attraction
Julie Fader
Kardinal Offishall
Karim Ouellet
Kay
Les Breastfeeders
Lights
Luluc
Memoryhouse
Nikki Williams
Rich Aucoin
Rococode
Rush
Sam Roberts Band
Sarah Harmer
Sloan
The Aggrolites
The Jezabels
These Kids Wear Crowns
Tonya Kennedy
Wintersleep
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
19
APPEAL FOR CONGO
Appeal for the Democratic Republic of Congo
In September 2012 War Child Canada launched an emergency appeal
to support sexual and gender-based violence prevention programs
in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as fund additional incountry support programs for women and community-based outreach
initiatives for vulnerable women and girls.
The campaign was launched because an escalation of violence in
the region caused a stark rise in demand for War Child’s services,
resulting in a funding shortfall for late 2012 and early 2013.
In a time of crisis like this, we turn to our most loyal supporters.
The Slaight Family Foundation was the first to respond to our call –
offering to match every dollar of new funding received for the appeal
by December 31st up to a maximum of $100,000. The Simple Plan
Foundation, Aldo Group and Paliare Roland LLP made significant
contributions towards that goal. With the generosity of many
individuals, the target was reached in record time.
A young girl looks at war damaged building in the
Democratic Republic of Congo.
Photo taken by Donald Weber.
20
War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
WAR CHILD HEROES
A Commitment to Children
Few of War Child’s Heroes have been a part of the program for as
long as Luc Davet (pictured). Soon after landing his first job out of
university, Luc became a monthly donor, following the advice of a
friend. Nearly a decade later Luc is as engaged and passionate about
War Child’s work as ever.
What encouraged you to become a donor at quite a young age?
The Program
Being a War Child Hero by giving monthly donations is the most
effective way for the average Canadian to support children
affected by war. These recurring gifts provide a predictable
stream of revenue so that we can plan high-impact programs.
Become a War Child Hero today at warchild.ca/heroes
Well, it really began with my parents. They’ve been philanthropic in
their own way for as long as I can remember so it seemed natural that
when I was able to donate, I would.
Why did you choose to give monthly?
Perhaps you could chalk it up to the fact that I work with budgets and
money in my day job, but I believe it is just easier to plan out my annual
contribution as a series of small gifts, rather than one big one. I’m
surprised more people don’t do it, because it’s so simple.
What would you say to someone thinking about becoming
a War Child Hero?
That once you know you want to help the cause, there is no good
reason not to give monthly. The type of work War Child is doing
requires a commitment to children, and a monthly donation is my way
of showing that commitment.
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
21
THANK YOUS
Government or UN Agencies
Corporate Partners
Canadian International Development Agency
Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade, Government of Canada
UNDP
UNFPA
UNHCR
UNICEF
UN WOMEN
102.1 The Edge / Corus Radio
AIMIA Canada Inc.
Atomique Productions / Rifflandia Festival
Bell Media
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Call It Spring /Aldo
Carparelli Guitars
Disney Club Penguin
Jackson-Triggs Estate Winery
john st.
Palaire Roland LLP
Sony Music Canada
Street Quality Entertainment Ltd.
The Zone @ 91-3
Universal Music Canada
Fundraisers
Appleby College
Dan and Maryam Behmard-Hodgson
Harbord Collegiate Institute
Sisler High School
St. Michaels University School
The Canadian Advocates Society
Upper Canada College
Foundations
60 Million Girls Foundation
CEP Humanity Fund
Griggs Family Foundation
Open Society Institute
Raymond James Foundation
Rotman Family Foundation
Simple Plan Foundation
The Giselle Fund
The International Bar Association Foundation
The Slaight Family Foundation
United States Institute of Peace
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War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
Artist & Celebrity Heroes
Chantal Kreviazuk
Lynn Crawford
Mother Mother
Raine Maida
Simple Plan
Major Donors
$50,000+ gifts
Richard Rooney
Gary and Donna Slaight’
Individual Donors
$2,000+ gifts
A.J. Diamond
Ninette Kelley and David Beatty
Michael Eizenga
Chantal Kreviazuk
Yvan Laniel
Kwok Lau
Craig and Mary MacGregor
Patricia Mitchell
Wanda Soder-Munholland
Monthly Donors
$25+ per month
Xavier Abrioux
Edward Agnew
Mercedes Alcock
Kim Alexander
Shobana Ananth
Linda Arbour
Sherry Ardell
Jason Arnot
Louise Arthur
Susan Barber
Sandy Barron
Heidi Bell
Katherine Bergen
Robert Blair
Julie Anne Bohemier
Karen Booth
Dan Bortolotti
Melinda Boston
Simon Botros
Anna Boulton
Noni Boyle
Erica Branda
Katherine Brown
Kenneth Brown
Tanya Bruce
Elizabeth Bryan
Martha Burns
Laura Carter
Bill Castleman
Lianne Chamberlain
Ashok Charles
Cheryl Chase
Mei Mei Chong
Timothy Church
Jean Clifford
Rachelle Cordes
Monica Cotton
Michael Cummings
Catherine Dale
Susan De Roode
Zachary De Vouge
Ryan DeBack
Janette Decordova
Tim Degeer
Patricia Dixon
Sarah Drew
Gabrielle Duchesne
Simone Duvette
Nils Engelstad
Alison Etter
Joe Farnsworth
Sean Farrell
Venera Fazio
Francine Feuer
Lance Follett
Allison Forsythe
Rodrigo Fuentes
Kali Galanis
Jiachen Gong
Christina Grant
Muffy Greenaway
Gerry Halpin
Andrew Hamilton-Wright
Sheila Handler
Steven Harmer
Barbara Harmer
Shirley Harris
John Hay
Betty Hellwig
Jonathan Hills
Karen Hincks
Lloyd Hipel
Andrea Hopson
Leigh Hunsinger
Scott Ireland
David Johnson
Roberta Johnson
Michele Jolley
Sherry Kelly
David Keogh
Christoph Kesting
Sarah Kobayashi
Terry Konschuh
Shauna Koopmans
Marlene Krickhan
Joel Krupa
Shelley Lamont
Kevin Lang
Susie Lau
Ann Lenchak
Johanna Leseho
Rosie Levine
Tim Lindsay
Janet Lobo
Shannon Loehr
Jana MacDonald
Blaise MacMullin
Andrew MacPherson
Caitlin Mahar
Kimberly Mahoney
Michael Manley-Casimir
Carinta Mannarelli
Anargyros Marangos
Kathleen McCready
Jody McDougall
Kathryn McLean
Mark McMaster
Eileen McTavish
Patricia Mifflen
Paul Mitchell
Irene Mitrana
Leslie Munson
Don Nicolson
Veryl Nouch
Alicia Nowak
Samantha Nutt
Hazel O’Brien
Maureen O’Neill
Kayla Orten
Arthur Packer
Isabelle Paquin
André Patry
David Pedden
Amy Pelletier
Sheri Penner
Alix Perrault
Elliot Pobjoy
Melissa Pool
Susan Popplewell
David Probst
Cynthia Puddu
Alicia Quesnel
Joan Rathbone
Warren Raynard
Heather Renzella
Tim Robinson
Keith Rowe
Fredmund Sallah
Jan Schwarz
Devika Shah
Leslie Shier
George Siems
Kevin Simpson
Nathanial Slee
Ron Smith
Philip Smith
Willy Smolka
Celia Smyth
Joan Snowden
Todd Solarik
Jennifer Southcombe
Mari Stonehouse
Nicole St-Pierre
Emily Thibodeau
Samuel Thurston
Sean Timpa
Jorge Tobon
Elmer Tory
Robert Traversy
Mark Trenbeth
Christine Tworo
Jean-Claude Vallieres
Ton Van Haeren
Alanna Vernon
Adam Vuong
Sheryl Wanagas
Doug Watt
Dinah Watts
Maria Welyhorskyj
David Wheatley
Catherine White
Gillian White
Matthew Wiebe
Nancy Wigston
Colleen Williams
Chantel Williams
Susan Woitt
Rita Wong
William Zinck
Annual Report 2012 War Child Canada
23
Children in South Sudan, the world’s youngest country.
24
War Child Canada Annual Report 2012
Design: Inkpen Studios www.inkpenstudios.com
489 College St., Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6G 1A5
Phone 416.971.7474 Fax 416.971.7946
www.warchild.ca
Charitable Reg. #: 872374426RR0001