The boy and his classmates asked her what it was like to go to school in her country. “I couldn’t answer them with the full truth,” she admits. “It would hurt too much to tell them that this was not normal and they should not have to be used to gunfire and artillery shelling.”

Besides helping during conflicts, UNICEF also must provide aid when natural disasters strike. The staffers are used to the fact that catastrophes come without warning. “The organization typically prepares for a crisis by having emergency supplies pre-positioned and ready to be retrieved at a moment’s notice. Likewise, when we fundraise we try to encourage donors to give to unrestricted funds so that we can choose to send the money where it is most needed.”

UNICEF staffers often have the opportunity to be inspired by the children they help, but they still have to remind themselves that these overly mature individuals are, in fact, children. Schoop agrees: “Children are very resilient, however they suffer just as adults do. And sadly, as long as there is war and inequities in the world there will be a need for UNICEF.”

To see how you can help visit www.unicefusa.org or call 1-800-4UNICEF.

India Arie in Kenya photos © George Odhiambo Buana; Kini photo © Michael Bociurkiw