Child Specialist Returns From Solomons

Child protection specialist Amalia Fawcett has just returned from the Solomon Islands after six weeks working as part of World Vision's emergency response team.

Arriving three weeks after the massive earthquake that triggered a tsunami that killed 52 and left thousands homeless, Amalia was tasked with assessing the impact on children and devising ways of restoring their mental, social and physical well-being.

"As well as helping to provide basics like water, food and shelter, I was there to establish systems that will enable the children to recover emotionally and socially from the disruption of the earthquake and tsunami. To do this I worked with other aid agencies and local ministries to assess the impact on children and to set up what we term 'child friendly spaces'," says Amalia.

"These spaces provide children with structure and help them learn a variety of skills. Most importantly they give the children a chance to relax in a safe and secure environment.

"Protecting children living in a disaster area must include giving them an opportunity to play as this supports their natural resilience and development," concludes Amalia.

World Vision set up a total of 10 child friendly spaces linked to local schools . UNICEF provided educational and sports supplies and World Vision supplied other equipment and tools. Amalia worked directly with the people in the local communities, teaching them how to run the spaces to help their children recover.

Monitoring of the work done by Amalia and other aid agencies will be on-going to ensure the children continue to benefit from the various programmes developed.
* New Zealanders have donated $137,000 to World Vision's work in the Solomon Islands.

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