Samuel L Jackson, Natalie Portman and Goldie Hawn are among the stars backing a new global campaign to help disadvantaged children.

The Listen initiative plans to raise money to fund 200 children's projects to help 400,000 children a year.

Ashley Judd, Sir Ben Kingsley, Jessica Lange, Brooke Shields and Kurt Russell are some of the other celebrities involved, as well as writers, musicians and artists.

The stars are visiting projects in India, Egypt, Peru, the US and Uganda, to highlight the different issues confronting children globally by listening to their stories.

Jackson, who appeared in a video for children still suffering effects of hurricane Katrina, said the campaign deserves full support.

He said: "It's up to us to help these people find their lives or reclaim what their lives are, and to help these children get a foothold in life."

The stories are being filmed for a documentary which will be broadcast internationally next June.

Authors - including African Nobel Prize Winner Professor Wole Soyinka and Ishmael Beah - are donating short stories to the the campaign to be featured in newspapers and magazines globally.

Organisers are also planning a star-studded concert next summer in Los Angeles. Former Eurythmics member and producer, Dave Stewart and bass player/ producer, Don Was are already on board as musical directors.

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