UNICEF e-newsletter

Two years after the Indian Ocean tsunami killed more than 200,000 people and destroyed homes and schools across a vast area, UNICEF is still working to rebuild children’s lives in the affected communities.

The second anniversary of the disaster capped a busy year for UNICEF, which continued to respond to challenges facing children in 154 developing countries throughout 2006.

In its new report - Much Done, More to Do, a 24-month update - UNICEF details the work that started when the tsunami struck on 26 December 2004 and will continue for many years to come. The update tracks progress in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

"Since the beginning of the tsunami response, UNICEF has been able to reach an estimated 4.8 million children and women in eight countries," the reports says. "Nearly two years on, much has been accomplished but much remains to be done."

Among the achievements to date:

• UNICEF has supported the reconstruction and renovation of over 50 health facilities and delivered medical equipment to nearly 6,100 hospitals and clinics
• Children are now studying at 36 newly constructed permanent schools, 145 semi-permanent schools and 900 repaired schools
• Over 1 million people, including a quarter of a million schoolchildren, have access to safe water sources built with UNICEF support
• Nearly 1 million children and women have received mosquito nets to protect them against malaria.

In these areas and more, UNICEF’s efforts in the tsunami zone reflect a broader commitment to the rights and well-being of every child. It’s a commitment that has stood for 60 years - unshaken by wars, natural disasters and even the global emergency that is the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Thank you for your continued support, and best regards for a fruitful new year as we continue this historic mission.

For every child
Health, Education, Equality, Protection
ADVANCE HUMANITY
UNICEF

Here is another link that you may be interested in:

UNICEF now offers two RSS feeds: UNICEF News, with the latest stories from our homepage; and UNICEF Photo Essays, featuring images from around the world. Find out more.