I got to choose my birthday and it’s tomorrow because I couldn’t wait any longer to celebrate!
- Flor
Radio 4 listeners' generous response to Toybox’s birth registration appeal raised over £64,000.
Toybox is a UK charity with a mission to end the injustice of children living and working on the streets. We work with the most marginalised children in some of the most dangerous cities in the world. Birth registration is a vital part of our work enabling street children to access their official identification, opening up the opportunities this brings.
The success of this appeal meant our project in Guatemala could be expanded into some of the most deprived rural areas from which many street children originate. Registering children in these areas means that fewer look for opportunities on the streets. Children who receive their birth certificates will benefit from the lifetime of opportunities that come with being an official citizen; access to education, entitlement to medical treatment and healthcare, legal support, and future opportunities for employment. So far 3500 children have been registered. Children like Flor who we met earlier this year. Flor thought she was only two and had no idea when she was born. After being registered she was over the moon as she got to choose her birthday – she now officially exists.
Registration of a child is a one-off event but the impact it has is life-long so thank you to all who supported this appeal.
You can find out more about the charity