Displaced Saharawi families, including 75,000 children, have lived in makeshift camps in Algeria since 1975. The refugees fled during Morocco's invasion of Western Sahara. But despite the end of a war between the two countries in 1991, the refugees are still waiting for a United Nations-sponsored referendum on independence to take place.
Steve Tibbett, Senior Campaigner for War on Want, said: "After a quarter of a century it's about time the international community moved to end the scandal of the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara."
By collecting toys for the children, War on Want, and the other organisations that supported the campaign, hoped to alleviate some of the harshness of life in the refugee camps, and provide the means by which children can play, learn and interact with one another.
According to one child living in the camps: "We live in the desert and the climate is very hot, dry and windy most of the time. In the winter it does get cold, especially at night. It hardly ever rains. There are no roads, almost no trees, no rivers, and no buildings in the desert. Often there are sandstorms".
According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: "All children have the right to relax, to play and to join in a wide range of activities". The children in the refugee camps have developed their own games with the limited resources available to them, but lack the colourful and tactile toys that are essential to a child's development.
The Fire Brigades' Union, One World Action, the Woodcraft Folk, the Western Sahara Campaign and the Millennium Commission also supported the campaign.
At the campaign launch at the TUC headquarters in London on December 12 2000 Top of the Pops presenter Josie D’arby, said, "I think it’s a great idea to send toys to these kids. If we can spread a little happiness and raise people’s awareness about the issue at the same time, then why not?"
The campaign also received the support of Saturday morning children's TV presenters Ant and Dec, BBC's The Tweenies, BBC's Blue Peter and Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh.
The toys were collected nation-wide until February 14, 2001 and delivered to the refugee camps in the spring of 2002.
 |  | Africa's Last Colony:
Find out more about the history of Western Sahara and act now to support the Saharawi in their fight for self-determination. |
 | | Profiting from the Occupation:
The profits from Saharawi resources primarily benefit Morocco, particularly those politicians and generals who own much of the industry. |
 | | A State of Seige:
Read about Morocco's repressive policies in occupied Western Sahara and send a postcard to the Moroccan embassy. |
 | | Western Sahara Homepage:
Find out more about the people of the Western Sahara and their struggle to return to their homeland. |
