Annual Report 2022 - Save the Children Canada
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MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT/CEO
AND BOARD CHAIR

Thank you for your continued support to children – every day and in times of crisis.

2022 was another challenging year for children as the world grappled with the convergence of “the Four Cs”: conflict, COVID-19, climate, and cost.

We saw devastating conflicts, including the escalation of the war in Ukraine and ongoing violence elsewhere, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and Yemen. We faced the lingering impacts of COVID-19, which affected children’s access to education, health care, and other necessities. Climate change caused extreme weather events that destroyed communities and took many lives. As all of this was happening, the rising cost of food meant millions of children faced unprecedented levels of hunger.

Despite it all, children remained hopeful and, with your help, Save the Children was able to respond immediately to emergencies and provide life-saving humanitarian aid to children and families in Canada and across the globe.

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HOW YOUR SUPPORT IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

*All names changed for privacy.

A STEP TOWARDS RECONCILIATION

The National Reconciliation Program (NRP) is an Indigenous and child rights program at Save the Children. Our approach to partnerships and programming is informed by the Wi-Mino-Kisikat Relationship Framework, meaning “it is going to be a good day – a new beginning” in the Saulteaux language.

Through collaboration and a commitment to reconciliation, the NRP operates as an additional resource that Indigenous communities and organizations can use to enhance their cultural safety, programming, services, and initiatives aimed at supporting First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children.

The “Aakozi’ma’gut Kima’Maa’anun”
(Mother Earth is Sick Project )

Working with First Nation communities to understand the effects of the climate crisis

Climate change has negatively affected many Indigenous communities, particularly families in rural areas who are more susceptible to the adverse effects of extreme weather events such as wildfires and flooding.

The Mother Earth is Sick project worked with various Treaty 3 First Nation communities within Ontario and engaged community members to learn what aspects of climate change affected them most. It did this through two research methods:

Photovoice – Children were given cameras and taught photography skills. They were then encouraged to capture images to tell their stories and opinions about climate change in their communities. The Photovoice project was an engaging activity for all participants and a creative method to gain insight into their perspectives.

Community concept mapping – Participants were asked to rate the priority of specific issues affected by climate change, including health, culture, water, and pollution. The results were organized by themes, which helped to inform planning, evaluation, and decision-making for future programming to better serve the community.

STRONGER TOGETHER

The combined effects of conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rapid escalation of climate-driven crises have been devastating for children and families across the world— profoundly disrupting progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. These interconnected challenges require interconnected solutions. Save the Children works in partnership with communities, corporations, foundations, and philanthropists with shared values. This allows us to pool our expertise and resources to develop meaningful solutions to community-identified challenges.

Based on our four key strategic impact areas (children in crisis, Indigenous child rights, gender equality, and climate justice), our values prioritize centring the voices and leadership of children and communities for sustainable outcomes.

Here are some highlights from our 2022 partnerships:

Climate change is directly affecting First Nations through more frequent and extreme weather events — floods, forest fires, ice and windstorms, and warming winters. These events pose a risk to the safety, security, and wellbeing of children and communities.

Read more about our partnership with GSK Canada

Children in the Dadaab refugee camps in eastern Kenya and surrounding host communities face violence, exploitation, neglect, child marriage, trafficking, and recruitment into armed groups. Many are there because they fled armed conflict in neighbouring countries.

Read more about our partnership with Spin Master

In Venezuela, a prolonged economic crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, severely limited access to essential services like food, water, health care, education, and electricity. Food insecurity led to a significant increase in acute malnutrition in children.

Read more about our partnership with Mealshare

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

Save the Children’s work would not be possible without all of our partners. Their passion and commitment to use their platforms, expertise, and resources to shine a spotlight on the millions of children affected by climate change, conflict, and COVID-19 is inspiring. Through the power of these partnerships, we can make a world of difference, proving that we are stronger together.

SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN CRISIS

Humanitarian emergencies, ranging from natural disasters to conflicts and displacement, can leave communities shattered and the lives of children in disarray. With the help of partners and dedicated supporters, we are always ready to respond swiftly to emergencies across the globe. In 2022, our humanitarian teams worked tirelessly to deliver life-saving aid, including food, water, shelter, and medical assistance, to those who needed it most.

THE WAR IN UKRAINE

In 2022, more than six million children were living in grave danger in Ukraine, as the war – which escalated on February 24 – destroyed schools, homes, and hospitals. Families fled Ukraine to seek shelter in neighbouring countries including Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

OUR RESPONSE

Save the Children has been in Ukraine for 10 years, working alongside experienced local partners. When fighting escalated in 2022, we immediately reached families throughout the country and quickly set up services for fleeing children and families arriving at border crossings.


PAKISTAN FLOODS

Climate change has resulted in higher temperatures and drought-like conditions in many parts of the world. In addition, as weather patterns change, precipitation increases and leads to intense floods.

In July 2022, Pakistan experienced heavy monsoon rains, accelerated by glacial melt and climate change, which triggered immense flooding throughout the country. Within the first three weeks of the June-September monsoon season, 60% of the normal total rain fell.

The intense flooding severely affected 33 million people, including more than 16 million children – the highest number in any country in 2022. With half of the population dependent on agriculture, the flood damage affected families’ livelihoods, washing away livestock and millions of acres of farmland – ultimately pushing millions into poverty.

OUR RESPONSE

As Save the Children already had operations in the worst-affected areas, we worked closely with National and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities to provide healthcare, tents, food, emergency supplies, and education.

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

We are proud to deliver projects that strengthen the skills and resources of local organizations, governments, and communities, especially within countries in crisis. Children in these fragile contexts face increased risks of hunger, recruitment into armed groups, and trafficking, along with less access to essential health services and education. The lingering impacts of COVID-19—including social distancing, closures, low connectivity issues, and loss of family’s income—led Save the Children to continue to adapt our development programs to meet the needs  of children and their communities.

The Ungumi Project, Mozambique

The Ungumi Project supported youth (ages 10-19) at 43 schools through training and sharing of positive messages about sexual and reproductive health, gender, and child protection.

In Mozambique, many girls drop out of school and marry young – often because of a lack of  information on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and sexuality. There is also an increased risk of early pregnancy and contracting sexually-transmitted infections, including HIV-AIDS, because SRHR is considered taboo.

The Ungumi project provided adolescent-friendly sexual health services, raised awareness on gender equality and rights, and challenged harmful gender norms. A particular highlight for 2022 was the return of the girls’ soccer tournament, featuring more than 370 girls from 21 schools in Zambezia province.

She Succeeds: Women and Youth Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, and Employment, Palestine

Youth unemployment in occupied Palestinian territories  is drastically high and affects women at a greater rate compared to men of the same age. She Succeeds aims to economically empower marginalized and vulnerable young women (ages 15-29), through the development of small and medium-sized entrepreneurship opportunities in the agriculture sector.

Young women receive entrepreneurial training, marketing, and business management skills, and funding to help them launch eco-friendly businesses in their communities.

THANK YOU

Upholding and protecting children’s rights everywhere is our priority because every girl and boy should be able to fulfill their dreams. Thanks to our community of supporters and partners, we can work together with and for children, to help them thrive and have a brighter future.

Download the print-friendly PDF version of the report, by clicking the link below.

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OUR FINANCES

REPORT OF AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR ON THE SUMMARY OF OUR FINANCES

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Save the Children Canada (the “Organization”), which comprise the statement of financial position as at December 31, 2022, and the statements of operations and changes in net assets, and of cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”).

In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Organization as at December 31, 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations.

Basis for Opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards (“Canadian GAAS”). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the Organization in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in Canada, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.

Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with Governance for the Financial Statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the 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.

In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Organization’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Organization or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.

Summary Statement of Financial Position


‘

Summary Statement of Operations and Changes in Assets

Mujtaba*, 8 years old, Afghanistan
Mujtaba lives with his family in a small village in the Jawzjan province in northern Afghanistan. His baby sister received treatment from a Save the Children mobile clinic for severe acute malnutrition. Mujtaba now wants to be a doctor.
"My father is sick and my younger sister is sick too and cries all the time. It makes me feel very bad and sad. Even when I’m in school, I think and worry about her.”
Mujtaba*, 8 years old, Afghanistan
Mujtaba lives with his family in a small village in the Jawzjan province in northern Afghanistan. His baby sister received treatment from a Save the Children mobile clinic for severe acute malnutrition. Mujtaba now wants to be a doctor.
"My father is sick and my younger sister is sick too and cries all the time. It makes me feel very bad and sad. Even when I’m in school, I think and worry about her.”
Ayesha,* 12 years old, Bangladesh
Ayesha lives with her family in a rural village in Bangladesh, where heavy monsoon rains due to climate change have become a routine disruption, flooding roads and closing schools. Save the Children provided educational materials to help raise awareness of the impacts of climate change and how youth can help protect the environment. Now, Ayesha encourages her family members and neighbors to go to shelters during cyclones and advises them on how to drink safe water during flooding.
“I have seen many cyclones... The storm blew away the tin shed of our house. Branches of trees fell on the road and on our house. I feel that storm means lots of suffering.”
Ayesha,* 12 years old, Bangladesh
Ayesha lives with her family in a rural village in Bangladesh, where heavy monsoon rains due to climate change have become a routine disruption, flooding roads and closing schools. Save the Children provided educational materials to help raise awareness of the impacts of climate change and how youth can help protect the environment.
Mahadiya,* 14 years old, Ethiopia
When schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Save the Children camel library – using camels carrying boxes of books on their backs – brought books and learning materials to Mahadiya’s rural community in Ethiopia. To help more children access educational materials during lockdowns, the camel library went digital, travelling from village to village with solar-charged tablets.
Mahadiya,* 14 years old, Ethiopia
When schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Save the Children camel library – using camels carrying boxes of books on their backs – brought books and learning materials to Mahadiya’s rural community in Ethiopia. To help more children access educational materials during lockdowns, the camel library went digital, travelling from village to village with solar-charged tablets.
Entha*, 10 years old, Haiti
In a matter of minutes, Entha and her family lost their home and all their belongings during an earthquake. Save the Children’s cash transfer program meant Entha’s mother could buy materials to rebuild their home, as well as purchase food for the family and pay school tuitions.
Entha*, 10 years old, Haiti
In a matter of minutes, Entha and her family lost their home and all their belongings during an earthquake. Save the Children’s cash transfer program meant Entha’s mother could buy materials to rebuild their home, as well as purchase food for the family and pay school tuitions.
RESEARCH AND LEARNING
Every year, Save the Children releases multiple reports, policy briefs, and research papers on topics related to children’s rights – including education, climate change, conflict, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health. The involvement of children in our research is an important way to amplify their voices and ensure their thoughts and opinions are heard.
RESEARCH AND LEARNING
Every year, Save the Children releases multiple reports, policy briefs, and research papers on topics related to children’s rights – including education, climate change, conflict, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health. The involvement of children in our research is an important way to amplify their voices and ensure their thoughts and opinions are heard.
Maya*, 11 years old, Yemen
Maya’s* home in Yemen was close to a front line and she was injured in a bombardment. Shrapnel hit her left arm, back, and belly, causing severe health complications and leading to anxiety and panic attacks. Save the Children supported Maya through a case management team – covering the costs of her medical treatment and providing psychosocial support, as well as assisting her family with cash transfers, hygiene kits, and non-food items.
“We don’t want bombardment and fear! We want to live a safe and happy life.” 
Maya*, 11 years old, Yemen
Maya’s* home in Yemen was close to a front line and she was injured in a bombardment. Shrapnel hit her left arm, back, and belly, causing severe health complications and leading to anxiety and panic attacks. Save the Children supported Maya through a case management team – covering the costs of her medical treatment.
“We don’t want bombardment and fear! We want to live a safe and happy life.” 
Ghinwa*, 13 years old, Lebanon
Life for Ghinwa and her family was hard in Beirut, Lebanon, after fleeing Syria. To help support them, Ghinwa sold water and tissues on a busy road. She learned how to read and write after joining a Save the Children-supported education centre. Her confidence grew and she made new friends. Also at the centre, she learned about her rights and now is eager to speak up on behalf of all child refugees.
“Before I went to the centre, I didn’t have dreams, I didn’t know what I wanted to become or what was going to happen... But since attending the centre, I feel like my future has hope.”
Ghinwa*, 13 years old, Lebanon
Life for Ghinwa and her family was hard in Beirut, Lebanon, after fleeing Syria. To help support them, Ghinwa sold water and tissues on a busy road. She learned how to read and write after joining a Save the Children-supported education centre.
“Before I went to the centre, I didn’t have dreams, I didn’t know what I wanted to become or what was going to happen... But since attending the centre, I feel like my future has hope.”
Hiba*, 17, and Rama*, 14, Jordan
Save the Children’s Coaching for Life program helps children to build courage and stand up for their rights. It inspired sisters Hiba and Rama to stop a classmate from being married at a young age – and both girls received their parents’ support to turn down proposals themselves. Hiba and Raba use their love of rap music to spread a message of girls’ rights, in the hope of ending child marriage in Za’atari refugee camp.
Hiba*, 17, and Rama*, 14, Jordan
Save the Children’s Coaching for Life program helps children to build courage and stand up for their rights. It inspired sisters Hiba and Rama to stop a classmate from being married at a young age – and both girls received their parents’ support to turn down proposals themselves.