Save the Children US

With back-to-school season in full swing, we're proud to feature Salvador Zavala, Lead Associate, School-Age Programs in Central and Southern California, for our August Staff Spotlight. ✨ Save the Children runs programs in more than 250 rural communities where educational resources and opportunities are often limited. In his role, Salvador is helping children develop a strong foundation for lifelong learning. ❤️ For Salvador, this work is deeply personal. “Having grown up in the rural communities I now have the privilege of serving. I feel a strong connection to this work.” That experience inspired him to join Save the Children and turn that connection into purpose. Today, Salvador supports school-age programs that strengthen literacy and math skills while fostering social and emotional development. He is focused on creating learning environments where children can thrive. 🏫 “What stands out about our U.S. school-age programs is our ability to meet children where they are. We provide support during the school day, after school, and throughout the summer—helping extend learning beyond the traditional classroom.” What motivates Salvador most? Seeing the impact firsthand. “Watching children build their skills, confidence, and love of learning is incredibly rewarding. I've seen how the right support at the right time can make a meaningful difference." For anyone considering a career in education, Salvador encourages leading with empathy and staying connected to your purpose. "The impact may not always be immediate, but the opportunities you help create can influence a child's future for years to come." Here's to Salvador and to the dedicated team members helping children discover their potential every day. Find your passion, bring your purpose. Interested in a career with Save the Children? 👉 https://lnkd.in/gE-XmrRm

"You can never get enough books into the hands of enough children." 🩷 Dolly Parton didn't just say those words. She spent decades putting them into practice. Inspired by her father, who never had the chance to learn to read or write, Dolly made early childhood literacy her lifelong mission. Through her Imagination Library program, she helped put more than 330 million free books into the hands of children under five. While the world has lost an icon, her legacy lives on through the millions of young readers whose lives were forever changed by her generosity and belief in the power of a book. 📖

Progress is worth fighting for. 🥊 For more than 100 years, we’ve worked toward a world where every girl and every woman can thrive. From expanding access to education and healthcare to protecting girls from violence and harmful practices, the fight for equality doesn’t stop. We’ve been doing this work since 1919. And we’re not done yet. #WomensEqualityDay 🟰

How it started ➡️ one woman with a bold belief that every child deserves a future. How it’s going ➡️ a global movement still fighting for children, more than 100 years later. Today, our founder Eglantyne Jebb would have turned 150. Her vision helped change the way the world sees children and their rights. And today, her legacy lives on in every child we work to help survive, learn and be protected.  Happy 150th birthday, Eglantyne. ❤️

What if one of the most powerful tools for improving children's lives isn't a new program, but a better understanding of human behavior? From immunization and education to child protection, many of the challenges facing children share a common denominator: how people think, decide, and act. 🧠 As Allison Zelkowitz, Director of Save the Children International's Center for Utilizing Behavioral Insights for Children (CUBIC), writes, "Information alone rarely changes behavior." That's the driving force behind CUBIC, which applies behavioral science to turn good intentions into action and advance outcomes for children and families around the world. Learn how this approach has informed 60+ projects across five continents, reaching more than 104,000 people directly and 150 million indirectly, and what it could mean for the future of improving children’s lives. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/etG-C-kZ

🚁 Innovation can help bridge the gap between children and lifesaving care. In this #NewsFeature from NPR on Rwanda's pioneering use of drones in healthcare, Save the Children International's Marcel Sibomana spoke about the importance of collaboration with partners like Zipline to help communities access essential services. "It's a partnership that can create lasting change." Save the Children has seen that impact in action. In Mahama Refugee Camp, drones are helping deliver blood and medical supplies to support women experiencing complications during childbirth, reducing delays in accessing critical care. 🩸 But technology alone isn't the answer. Innovation is most powerful when paired with strong local health systems, community programs and trained health workers. That's how sustainable progress happens for children and families. Read more in NPR’s story 👉 https://lnkd.in/eB3DuX92

🌍 Every humanitarian response begins with someone choosing to show up.   It’s the people who are there when crisis strikes, and who remain long after the headlines fade. THIS is humanitarian aid. The health workers. The teachers. The caseworkers. The drivers, community leaders, coordinators, and countless others working day and night to help children and families survive, recover, and rebuild. They work in some of the world’s toughest circumstances, doing whatever it takes to be there for children when they need help most. Today, we honor humanitarians and the communities they serve. ❤️ #WorldHumanitarianDay

🎂 Meet Lucienne. Today, she turns 100 years old and is celebrating in a remarkable way: by donating her birthday to Save the Children. Instead of gifts, Lucienne is inviting friends and family to support a cause close to her heart. Lucienne's life has been defined by service. In her 20s, she left New York to volunteer in rural Liberia. There, she adopted a baby whose mother died in childbirth, an experience that sparked a lifelong commitment to caring for children. As Lucienne puts it, “You've got to take chances and risks and not be afraid to fail. If you fail, you can just pick yourself up and start again.” That commitment continued through decades of mentoring young people and opening her home to children in need. For nearly a century, Lucienne has led with compassion, resilience and an unwavering belief in the potential of every child. As she celebrates this milestone birthday, she’s giving back once again. ❤️   Lucienne's birthday wish is simple: help ensure every child has the best chance for a bright future. Happy 100th birthday, Lucienne, and thank you for showing us that making a difference has no age limit. 👉 Help make her birthday wish come true: https://lnkd.in/ejFeuw-8

In rural South Carolina, access to quality childcare can be a challenge. For 2-year-old Bella and her mom, hope arrives on wheels. 🚌 Save the Children's Mobile Classroom brings early learning, developmental play and family support directly to families’ doorsteps. These mobile classrooms are helping children build critical skills and giving parents hope for the future. ✨

🩺 Nearly 1 in 10 children under 5 in Afghanistan is experiencing acute malnutrition. For children in remote communities, access to lifesaving health care is often limited. In some areas, Save the Children’s health clinics are the only source of nearby care, treating malnutrition and illness while providing vital services for mothers and babies. ⚠️ But as humanitarian funding declines, hundreds of health facilities across Afghanistan have closed or suspended services, leaving millions of people with fewer options for care. At a time when needs remain immense, protecting access to essential health services is more important than ever. No child’s ability to receive lifesaving care should depend on where they live. 💙