Whether orphaned by conflict or disease, or separated from their families by economic necessity, natural disaster or force, Save the Children seeks to protect children fending for themselves. For example, over 440 children in eight provinces of China are now able to live in family-style environments instead of institutions

Worldwide, an estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked each year. Save the Children works to prevent child trafficking, and reunites many trafficked children with their families. Isata, aged 9*, used to live on the streets of Koindu, Sierra Leone. A woman called Mama Kula forced Isata into domestic work for over two years, and beat her. Isata (above) was also in danger of being trafficked to Liberia – a man tried to kidnap her from the street. Isata was rescued by Koindu’s Child Welfare Committee, formed by Save the Children.

We recently traced Isata’s mother and reunited mother and daughter. “There was a deal between Mama Kula and my mother. Mama Kula promised to send me to school, but when I came here I didn’t go, I only did domestic work. My mother sent me to school. I like to learn. When I was cleaning pots she’d [Mama Kula] take a stick and beat me on my back, and if I did anything wrong she would not give me food that day.”

Millions of poor or orphaned children have to work to support their families. Faite, 15, lives in Mozambique. His parents died in 2001, so Faite (right) looks after his eight siblings and his sick grandmother. Save the Children counsels the family, and has allocated them a grant to establish a small business and repair their home.

“I sell rubber pipe which people use when they pump up the tyres on their bikes. I make about 10,000 meticais [35 US cents] profit every day. It’s not enough money to live on.We just eat one meal a day if we have food. We are always hungry. “I can’t afford for us all to go to primary school. The roofs on our huts are bad. When it rains we get wet and can’t sleep. When the children get sick I have to get money and take them to hospital.”

*Isata's name has been changed and her exact age is unknown