Living in a Third World country for the past six years and raising two young boys have radically altered Jemima Khan’s view of the world.

“There is such a stark disparity between the rich and the poor in Pakistan that you don’t have to go far to witness a degree of poverty and human suffering that forces you to re-evaluate your priorities and recognise how fortunate you are,” says the 27-year-old mother of Sulaiman, four, and Kasim, two.

“I was probably more of an RSPCA person before,” she explains, “but being a mother makes a huge difference to the way you respond to situations. Children’s welfare has become an emotional issue for me. I definitely feel much more moved by children’s suffering now than I did before I had children of my own.”

Jemima is talking about her involvement in UNICEF’s Growing Up Alone campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the increasing number of children growing up without any family in some of the most war-torn areas of the world.

“Any campaign which helps alleviate child suffering has my support,” says Jemima. “These children have witnessed extreme forms of violence and many of them have also suffered one of the worst traumas of all, the loss of one or both parents. They are at their most vulnerable - sick, disoriented and afraid - and have lost all sense of what it means to be a child.”

For the full interview with Jemima Khan as she talks about UNICEF’s Growing Up Alone campaign and her dedication to the children of the world, see this week’s HELLO! Magazine, on sale now.

For further information visit:
www.unicef.org.uk/growingupalone/