Transforming the lives of children through innovative projects
Since 2016, Save the Children has partnered with Unilever to transform children’s lives through innovative projects around the world.
From working with Lifebuoy - to support the health and nutrition of children and mothers in Indonesia, to working with children and families in Madagascar with Wall’s, the partnership has already made a difference to thousands of lives.
Vanilla for Change
Wall’s , one of Unilever’s leading ice cream brands, has been working with Save the Children, government development agency GIZ, and value chain partner Symrise, to improve the lives of vanilla farming communities in the Sava region of Madagascar, known as the ‘Vanilla Belt’ of the country, to ensure the children growing up there can go on to build a better future.
The partners have developed a unique and ground-breaking programme which goes beyond the supply chain and empowers some of the most vulnerable children and families in Madagascar. Through Vanilla for Change, farming communities are more resilient to climate and economic shocks, child’s rights are enhanced and children are supported to make positive life choices, stay safe and build reliable incomes and livelihoods whilst building a sustainable supply of vanilla for the future.
The Vanilla for Change programme has already made a difference to the lives of more than 60,000 people.
16-year-old Rodrino lives in Andapa, Madagascar. Rodrino is a young 'champion' trained by Save the Children, who raises awareness of children's rights among young and old alike. Save the Children has been working in partnership with Unilever, Symrise, the GIZ since 2016 in the SAVA region to tackle some of the biggest issues affecting vanilla farmers and their families. The programme provides direct support to farmers and the wider community to improve their livelihoods, ensuring they get a fair price for their crop, have access to health insurance and financial training and opportunities. Narindra Rakotonanahary/ Save the Children
Improving hygiene with Lifebuoy
Lifebuoy, Unilever’s leading soap brand, has invested in the Better Investment for Stunting Alleviation (BISA) programme in Indonesia alongside The Power of Nutrition. Handwashing with soap has an important role to play in helping to address the underlying causes of malnutrition, with an estimated 50% of cases of child undernutrition caused by poor sanitation and hygiene practices or lack of safe water.
Changing hygiene behaviours together
Save the Children has been a key partner in the Hygiene Behaviour Change Coalition (HBCC), established by Unilever and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, Development Office. The goal of the programme was to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among children, caregivers, their families, and wider communities, as well as to build resilience to future outbreaks by raising awareness and promoting positive hygiene practices, and distributing personal hygiene materials, such as soap, amongst communities.
Joyce*, 10, at a hand-washing station in Kapoeta, South Sudan. Unilever, Save the Children, and the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office joined forces through the Hygiene Behaviour Change Coalition (HBCC) to tackle the spread of coronavirus in nine countries. Tito Justin / Save the Children
“Since we joined the programme,” says 18-year-old Sandi, “all our dreams that we held in our heart have come true. Now the water is here. Right in the back of our house.” The programme he’s talking about is called i2Change, and the stories of change that come from it are incredible. Save the Children supports communities involved to uncover problems and develop in-novative solutions by igniting the imaginations of young people, nurturing their talents and building their self-belief. In 2023, in West Sumba, Indonesia, Sandy joined i2Change and formed a team with two other 18-year-olds: Soleman and Anjar. Through workshops, they considered the challenges people in their community faced and decided to tackle the lack of water in Sandi’s village. Children and adults, in-cluding pregnant women, were getting up at 3am to walk 3km down a steep and dangerous verge to reach a water source, carrying two five litre containers each. Not only was it incredibly risky, it was impacting children’s education and physical development; growing nutritious food was off the table, and children were missing school because of exhaustion or embarrassment at not being able to wash. The plan: to build a borehole and taps right there in the village. Over the next few months, Sandi and his crew received specialist training and support – not only in how to design and implement their plan, but also in public speaking, influencing and the kinds of things that grow your confidence and make people others listen to your ideas. The consulted with the community and worked on a blueprint for the water system with support from Save the Chil-dren. By the time Sandi and his friends chose the team-name Golden Scorpio, they had really started to be-lieve they could make a difference to their community: gold symbolises courage, and a scorpion is a small and unassuming creature that delivers a powerful sting – and can have a big impact. In West Sumba, that impact is being felt in so many ways. Following the boys’ plan, Save the Children and its partners dug the borehole, installed nine taps, and covered the costs. The community now has regular access to water – but so much more too. Children have more time to study and play. It’s easier for families to irrigate their vegetable gardens. Children can wash twice a day and go to school as a result. They have time and energy to play like children should. No-one is making the difficult journey anymore. Given what they’ve accomplished and the changemaker Sandy has become, it’s hard to believe he used to keep to himself. Now, he’s an outspoken advocate for issues affecting children and young people and has more big plans for his community. “We can make Indonesia much better,” he says, proud and full of confidence. Ulet Ifansasti / Save the Children
Our Corporate Partners
Learn more about how we’re working with our current corporate partners.