UNICEF in action
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© UNICEF/NYHQ2009-0535/Unknown |
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On 14 May, children and adults carry newly arrived school supplies in a camp for the displaced, on the outskirts of the northern town of Vavuniya. |
UNICEF continues to respond to the immediate needs of more than 220,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in Jaffna, Trincomalee and Vavuniya in the areas of education, health and nutrition, WASH and protection. We are working around the clock with our partners to provide the following for children and their families:
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
- Providing 10,000 litre bladders, water treatment units, and water purification tablets.
- Providing hygiene kits, plastic buckets, water containers, and chlorine powder as well as contracted water trucks.
- Constructing emergency gender segregated toilets and bathing spaces.
Nutrition
- Providing multiple micronutrient supplements as well as parasite control for all children under five years and pregnant and lactating women.
- Promoting Improved Infant and Young Child Feeding practices and breastfeeding among the IDP population.
- Supporting rapid training on ‘Nutrition in Emergencies’ for 130 Public Health Midwives (PHM) and other health professionals.
Health
- Providing infant kits, expectant mothers’ kits, emergency health kits in addition to numerous cooking utensils and mosquito nets.
- Providing tents to several health facilities and in camps to raise much needed bed capacity to attend to the increased demand.
- Constructing an emergency paediatric ward of 50 beds and a maternity ward of 75 beds at the Vavuniya General Hospital.
Education
- Putting in place 13 Temporary Learning Shelters (TLS) including 65 classrooms in IDP camps, working in two shifts to the benefit of over 13,000 children.
- Providing 500 sets of tarpaulins used for temporary learning spaces for over 10,000 children in transit camps and for displaced host community children.
- Providing classroom materials, teachers kits and recreation kit to benefit over 12,000 children.
Child Protection
- Developing systems for the identification, registration and reunification of separated and unaccompanied children as well as responses to children with disabilities and serious injuries.
- Ensuring children leaving armed groups are provided with legal protection and reintegration services.
- Implementing recreational / psychosocial activities through mobile units in all IDP locations in Vavuniya town through child protection partners benefiting more than 7,500 children.
30 May 2009
