"I lived in a nearby village with my family, but we fled here because of the war" - Beatrice Across the Central African Republic (CAR) there are displacement camps full of people who have fled the violence which has befallen this country. The camps pop-up in urban areas or dot the countryside. They are a monument to the constant uncertainty of life in a troubled land. Children in Conflict supports child-friendly spaces at many of these camps. These are places where children come to learn, play and hopefully forget about the often-distressing experiences which took them from their homes Beatrice* is one of those who regularly attend the space. She is a bright and welcoming 14-year-old who has seen more of the horrors of war than any child should. “I lived in a nearby village with my family, but we fled here because of the war,” she says. “A militia came and burned our village. They killed my elder brother. “While we were fleeing, my father was shot dead. I ran with my mother until we got here. We have been here ever since.”

  Dear friends,  WHAT A NIGHT!We wanted to take this opportunity to sincerely thank everyone who came out and supported our Hold Out Your Hand event in Nashville last Friday. To all the volunteers, sponsors, crew and venue staff; we know how much hard work goes into an event like this and we couldn't have done it without you. To the wonderful artists who lent us their time and talents and didn't hesitate to get involved; Sheryl Crow, Ruby Amanfu and Courtney Marie Andrews, you made this night so special and memorable for us.  And last but by no means least, we'd like to thank our guest speakers Rob Williams, Elisabeth Little and the incredible Michaela DePrince.  We have been truly embraced by our Nashville community of supporters and friends and it was an honor to have the opportunity to share our work with Children in Conflict and War Child UK with you all. It is such a big part of who we are and what Brandi represents as an artist and activist.We are incredibly proud to share that we raised over $250,000 towards our $1 million goal for The Story Campaign!  None of this would have been possible without your generosity and support.Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,   Catherine CarlileExecutive DirectorBrandi CarlileFounder        DONATE TO THE STORY CAMPAIGN       A note from Children in Conflict... Dear FriendsWe were so very honored to be part of Hold Out Your Hand and cannot thank you all enough for showing such openness, warmth and generosity at this wonderful event.  We know that right now the world continues to experience some of the toughest humanitarian challenges it has ever faced. And we know that last year the gap between needs and provision grew.With the continued support from the Looking Out Foundation and from the kindness shown at events like last week, we’re able to push through these many challenges and successfully impact the lives of children, helping them not only to survive but recover and build meaningful lives. When the news cameras begin to leave these affected communities and media interest fades, we will remain to assist children and their families as long as we are needed.We thank you whole heartedly for making this critical work possible.Children in Conflict   Sign up for Children in Conflict's Newsletter   SIGN UP     Help spread the word

"I am a mother, and every time I see a vulnerable child, I imagine that he or she could be my child." - Charlotte Charlotte, a mother of four small children, has opened her home to vulnerable children in Goma, eastern DRC. Working closely with the social workers of the Division of Social Affairs, Charlotte has been a foster mother to lost or abandoned children and children who have experienced violence or are at risk of abuse. “I found two children lost on the streets of Goma. They had been forced to flee their home due to intensified fighting in their village in Beni. I wanted to help them but did not know how”, Charlotte recalls. “I called the helpline and they advised me to keep them at home while they would seek for assistance and trace their families in North Kivu”. The outreach team managed to trace the parents and the family was reunited. Ever since, Charlotte’s home has been a recognised temporary foster care family in the district and she has hosted several children. “Even if I don’t have much to give, I am happy to help the children who need it as much as I can.”

The Looking Out Foundation is so proud to be partnering with Children in Conflict to ensure no child's life is torn apart by war. Please support our efforts so that we can continue to make an impact.  

You Can Make a Difference Right Now. Tropical Cyclone Idai has battered Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, devastating already vulnerable populations with severe damage and flooding. Please give now to help UNICEF provide children and their families safe drinking water, health supplies and emergency shelter. CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Calling All Volunteers for Brandi's upcoming Tour Dates!... We are over halfway toward our fundraising goal for The Story Campaign and we are more committed to this cause than ever. To commemorate the 10 year anniversary of Brandi Carlile's "The Story,” The Looking Out Foundation has partnered with @warchilduk and @childreninconflict to launch The Story Campaign – a sharing of stories from children whose families, communities, and schools have been torn apart by war. Every month, we will be posting new stories from these resilient children and young adults so that their voices can be heard and so that we can raise funds to help them and the thousands of other people who are unfairly impacted by war. All proceeds from The Story Campaign will benefit War Child UK & Children In Conflict.We’re relying on our Looking Out community to share these stories and help us reach our $1 million fundraising goal for these extraordinary people. We are recruiting four volunteers per show to join our Looking Out Street Team. You will be armed with iPads to sign people up and collection buckets to raise funds and awareness for The Story Campaign.Selected Street Teamers will be provided with a ticket to Brandi’s show, a limited edition Street Teamer T-shirt and an amazing opportunity to help children in dire need across the globe. In addition, the Street Teamer who signs up the most people will win a VIP concert ticket package for any Brandi Carlile show in 2019. All we ask is that you are knowledgeable, enthusiastic and inspired by The Story Campaign. We are currently recruiting Looking Out Street Teamers for the following concerts: 4/12, The Bomb Factory, Dallas, TX5/24-5/25, Ben&Jerry's Concerts on the Green, Shelburne, VT6/1, The Gorge, Quincy, WA 6/14, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD6/29, Huntington Bank Pavilion, Chicago, IL8/2, Providence Medical Center Amphitheater, Bonner Springs, KS8/23-8/24, Edgefield Amphitheater, Troutdale, OR9/6, The Mann, Philadelphia, PA9/14, Madisen Square Garden, NYC9/21, The Greek at UC Berkeley, Berkley, CA To apply to be a Looking Out Street Teamer, please contact volunteer@lookingoutfoundation.org