By Hardono Katarina, World Vision Indonesia
As school children in Indonesia's West Sumatra quake zone were called back to school one week after the September 2009 Sumatra earthquake, aid group World Vision says these thousands of children affected by the earthquake remain the disaster's most vulnerable survivors.
The organisation is actively calling on the government of Indonesia and other humanitarian actors to prioritise relief efforts that meet the urgent physical and psychosocial needs of children in the quake zone.
“The most urgent needs include clean water and safe places to play and begin learning again,” the agency said.
Because of the unsanitary conditions and lack of clean water or disinfectant, even minor injuries sustained in a disaster can become life-threatening without medical attention. Children are vulnerable to these.
Children also need appropriate food, adequate water and sanitation, and shelter as soon as possible. Without these basics, children’s immunity against diseases will be vastly reduced.
As part of its 90-day emergency response plan, World Vision will:
- Open 13 Child-Friendly Spaces in Padang Pariaman and Kota Padang
Child-Friendly Spaces are structured, safe places where children can play with other children, relax, learn basic skills to cope with the shocks and losses they’ve experienced, and receive informal education. The spaces are designed to provide psychosocial support to children after a disaster or conflict.
- Distribute nearly 1,100 family kits and 750 children’s kits
The kits include items like blankets, soap and tarpaulins. The team will also distribute over 1,000 collapsible water containers to families in Padang Pariaman.
World Vision has been working in Indonesia for 50 years and in 700 villages from Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam to Papua provinces.
