UNICEF: Urgent supplies continue to reach children in Nepal

UNICEF: Urgent supplies continue to reach children in Nepal

Nearly two weeks on from the earthquake in Nepal, UNICEF is continuing to reach thousands more children with lifesaving supplies.

UNICEF estimates 1.7 million children are in need of help and with each passing day the risk of disease and further trauma grows higher.

As of this week (4 May 2015), UNICEF and partners have reached 124,482 people with water supply, 23, 693 people with sanitation services and 78,166 people with hygiene education and materials in 10 affected districts.

"The people worst hit by this disaster have been left with next to nothing and are now struggling to come to terms with the harsh reality of rebuilding their lives and their country," said UNICEF New Zealand's Programmes Manager, Hamish Lindsay. "The most immediate needs continue to be shelter, with people struggling to find tents, and access to clean water and sanitation.”

UNICEF and partners have been distributing water purification tablets, tarpaulins, tents, medical supplies, emergency health kits, hygiene kits, soap, buckets and children's clothing to several regions throughout Nepal.

Mr Lindsay added that distributing these supplies is not without challenges, "Access to some areas is still proving very difficult, with roads blocked by debris and affected by landslides. The most severely affected districts are Kathmandu, Sindhulpalchowk, Kavre, Gorkha, Rasuwa, and Dhading in the Western and Central Region."

UNICEF will continue to work closely with partners and the Government of Nepal to coordinate the humanitarian response going forward.

The United Nations humanitarian cluster system has also been activated with UNICEF co-leading the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education and nutrition clusters. UNICEF is also an active member of the health cluster as well as the sub-cluster co-lead for child protection.

Mr Lindsay added, "The wellbeing of children is central to UNICEF's work in all emergency situations and restoring a sense of normality for children is of paramount importance.

"To ensure this, UNICEF is setting up child friendly spaces and undertaking assessments of schools to avoid delays in reopening.

"UNICEF is also using local radio to communicate important messaging on caring for children and dealing with trauma as well as entertainment programmes for children themselves."

UNICEF has launched a NZD$66m (US$50m) appeal to support its humanitarian response to the earthquake in Nepal over the next three months, as part of a wider inter-agency flash appeal. Please donate at: www.unicef.org.nz/Nepal

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