Save the Children calls for safe places for children in China
As China reports 14,866 dead - with the figure set to rise - Save the Children calls for safe places for children and their families to take cover.
Thursday 15 May 2008
In an emergency our priority is to keep children affected by the disaster safe, with a community they are familiar with, and with people they know. From there we can also ensure their basic needs for food, water and shelter are met, and we can reintroduce a routine of their normal activities as quickly as possible. Opportunities for play, education, and the ability to express themselves, are critical in helping children to overcome their experiences.
So Save the Children is calling for safe and supportive areas for children to play, learn and meet with other children within their local communities. These areas could also give support to parents who need to recover from family loss and start to rebuild their lives.
Zhong Hang, Director of Support Services for Save the Children in China, said: "These are dangerous times for children with shifting rubble, thousands of people wandering homeless and aftershocks from the quake still reminding them of the disaster they've been through. These children desperately need to have a safe area they know they can go to for some sense of normality, and help to overcome the enormity of what they've just experienced."
"Today we've sent a team into the area to do an assessment of the impact this disaster has had on children, in order to start work setting up safe areas for them and their families. With areas near this epicentre still uncovered, reports of up to 80% of buildings destroyed, and rain and landslides adding to this, we fear the news they'll report back with will not be good."
The government has now sent in 50,000 rescue troops and has allocated $100 million to the response effort.
None of Save the Children's 150 staff in China were injured during the quake.
Ends
Notes to editors
For more information and interviews please contact the Save the Children media unit on:
Tel - +44 207 012 6841 / +44 7831 650 409
Email - media@savethechildren.org.uk
Save the Children is the world's independent children's charity. We're outraged that millions of children are still denied proper healthcare, food, education and protection. We're working flat out to get every child their rights and we're determined to make further, faster changes. How many? How fast? It's up to you. For further information about our work please visit www.savethechildren.org.uk
