THE IMPACT OF YOUR SUPPORT

This is why we play. Soccer Aid for UNICEF is protecting play for every child.

There’s nothing quite like Soccer Aid for UNICEF. Entertaining? Yes. Competitive to the highest level? Absolutely. But Soccer Aid is more than just a football match. With every goal, tackle and nail-biting penalty, we’re all coming together to support UNICEF’s work to ensure every child can grow up safe, healthy and able to play.

Alison Hammond travels to Jamaica to see how UNICEF is working on the ground to support those affected by Hurricane Melissa, including 11-year-old Orecia.

Hurricane Melissa was the worst storm to ever hit Jamaica, impacting nearly 280,000 children. Orecia’s Primary School was one of over 600 that was seriously damaged meaning no classrooms could function. Thanks to a UNICEF-supported child-friendly space, Orecia and her classmates now have access to a safe learning space where they can resume their learning.

Tom Hiddleston visits Moldova and meets families displaced by the war in Ukraine, including Yulia and her 9-year-old daughter Milana.

As of the beginning of 2026, approximately 150,000 refugee families remain in Moldova, almost half of these are children. Tom saw how

UNICEF-supported schools and education centres create safe spaces for children like Milana to learn, play and thrive.

Chris O’Dowd introduces health workers in Gaza who are delivering an urgent immunisation campaign to ensure children can grow up healthy.

All children, no matter where they are in the world, should have access to the vaccines they need to survive and thrive. In Gaza, children have been cut off from essential life-saving services, and health infrastructure has been destroyed by ongoing conflict. An urgent immunisation campaign is being led by Dr. Younis to protect vulnerable children from the spread of polio, which has been detected for the first time in 25 years.

Adeel Akhar tells us how UNICEF provides life-saving support to children and families at risk of malnutrition in conflict-affected areas, like 3-year-old son Luka from South Sudan.

South Sudan faces one of the highest levels of acute food insecurity in the world today. More than half of South Sudan’s children are expected to face hunger by mid-2026. Hunger and malnutrition are a severe, ongoing crisis in the Aweil region, which has been worsened through conflict, flooding, and economic decline. Community Nutrition Volunteers, like Samuel, are trained by UNICEF to identifying children in urgent need of nutrition services and treatment and refers them to nutrition centres. Early diagnosis for Luka helped him get the treatment he needed.

Martin Compston travels to Bangladesh, where he saw UNICEF’s work to support children in drowning-prone districts to swim and learn how to help rescue others that are drowning. 

In Bangladesh, drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children.  To combat Bangladesh’s tragic drowning crisis, UNICEF is supporting Swimsafe, a programme where children are taught swimming techniques, and practice rescue exercises. 

Right now, one in five children are living in conflict zones. Jodie Whitaker introduces us to children who have been directly affected by conflict and war around the world

From Gaza, Ukraine and Syria to Lebanon and Sudan, 473 million children are living through war, displacement, and unimaginable loss. But even in the darkest moments, they still have hope of their future. UNICEF are on the ground in over 190 countries, delivering life-saving aid, clean water, vaccines, school supplies, and emotional support to children caught in crisis.