25 February 2011 - Save the Children is currently assessing how best to help the children and their families of Christchurch following Tuesday’s devastating earthquake.

Child Protection Specialist Shana Peiffer has flown in from Jakarta to Christchurch to join Pacific Regional Emergency Manager Mike Frew in assessing how Save the Children can best assist children in the aftermath of the 6.3 magnitude earthquake.

“Save the Children has extensive international experience in helping children following such large scale disasters, including the Haiti earthquake, where we continue to work. We want to identify how best to do this in Christchurch in the days, weeks and months ahead,” says Liz Gibbs, CEO of Save the Children New Zealand.

“Many Save the Children offices around the world have begun raising funds to support the children of Christchurch and we will provide more information about what we will be doing as soon as we have completed this needs assessment,” says Ms Gibbs.

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with everyone who has been affected by the Christchurch earthquake. Save the Children New Zealand began in Christchurch in 1947 and the city and region is very dear to the heart of our organisation.”

ENDS

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