Iceland review - 2014, Side 58

56 ICELAND REVIEW
society
Áa: How are the funds raised by UNICEF
Iceland distributed?
sis: With such a big mandate—protecting
the rights of every child in the world—
where does one begin? The answer is that
we work by a simple formula: the number
of children, poverty and child mortality
rate. That leads us to places like Nigeria
and other African countries south of the
Sahara. In addition to the funds raised
by Global Parents, we operate earmarked
projects in collaboration with corporations
and charities, assigned to healthcare, fight-
ing HIV/AIDS, malnutrition and so on.
Áa: What is UNICEF’s overhead? How
much of the funds raised go into opera-
tions?
sis: uNICEF Iceland’s promise is clear:
No less than 75 percent of the funds we
raise go directly to projects for children.
In 2013, 77 percent of the funds we raised
that year went directly to such projects.
uNICEF immunizes 40 percent of all the
world’s children. Still, not many people
work at the organization’s 195 branches—
the Paris transportation system has more
employees. It is of course a large organiza-
tion with a turnover of ISK 500 billion but
still it doesn’t even reach the Icelandic state
budget—the public government spending
for 320,000 people. It’s all a question of
context. This has a lot to do with choosing
viable projects.
Áa: Could you give an example of a recent
project?
sis: Two years ago I visited China with
uNICEF and saw firsthand its collabora-
tion with the government in Xinghai, a
rural region north of Tibet. It is among
China’s poorest regions with 12 percent of
children suffering from stunting. uNICEF
worked with the government to develop
simple and effective ways to combat this.
I was pleasantly surprised by the govern-
ment’s genuine interest in the issue—it
was so successful that they decided to fund
the project for children in need in China.
That’s what we do. We get the ball rolling.
The world is changing. Now, 80 percent of
the world’s children get to start elementary
school. We have made major progress in
fighting child mortality. Ten million people
worldwide are Global Parents. More than
could be given by a state or a wealthy phi-
lanthropist. Apart from the moral support
it gives.
Áa: What are the most memorable
moments you have experienced with
UNICEF?
sis: Since 2005, the Icelandic charity fund
Aurora has sponsored uNICEF Iceland
with over ISK 300 million. Having built
58 elementary schools in Sierra Leone,
the project took an interesting turn. We
began providing the teachers with educa-
tional material and now we support the
pupils’ mothers. They have formed groups
of 20-40, which get training in advocating
children’s rights, keeping them safe and
in school. Each group is funded by ISK
15,000. I was delighted to see how well
they had invested their money by various
endeavors. They had found the tools to
protect their children and ensure them a
better future. And to rebuild the economy.
I particularly remember this one woman
who had married and had three children at
a very young age and didn’t get the chance
of an education. With the help of uNICEF
Iceland she was able to build a better future
for her daughters.
Áa: So, despite being a small country,
Iceland can really make a difference.
sis: Yes, absolutely. Actually, this sense
of empowerment and open discussion of
violence reflects Iceland. We have begun
talking openly about the horrors of vio-
lence and abuse against children. There
was such fervor in the strong women we
met in Sierra Leone. This is among the
projects that I’m proudest of. So far we
have sponsored 240 clubs—thousands of
women—a shining example of what a dif-
ference Iceland’s contribution can make.
Áa: Looking to the future, what are the
biggest issues that need tackling?
sis: We have made significant progress
fighting child mortality. Child mortality
won’t be the main issue in 2035. That’s
not just in my life but in my working life.
Interestingly, the more educated people
are, the more misinformed they are about
the world. Now it’s more about fighting for
equity than fighting diseases. In that sense,
the world is becoming flatter. Of course
there will always be problems, especially in
war-torn corners of the world. But on the
whole, the future is bright. *
The Blue & White Lagoon