Thank you from every child

COVID-19 has changed many things but the dedication of those who work to keep children safe has never wavered.  

To our heroes and our supporters, we say thank you for helping reimagine a better world for every child.

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that many children stayed at home. In India 286 million children and adolescents were affected by COVID-19 school closures. However, that didn't mean education stopped. UNICEF maintained the continuity of learning at home. 

Online classrooms and television and radio programmes have benefited nearly millions of children in 17 states. Close to 44.4 million children continue to learn through UNICEF and partners' education initiatives across 16 states.

We have also supported the Government in developing guidelines for reopening schools.   

During COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF continued to support the Government to focus on securing every newborn's life.  UNICEF supported Government to provide millions of children and women essential healthcare, including prenatal, delivery and postnatal care, essential newborn care and immunization.
 
Close to 19.7 million children and women received essential healthcare, including prenatal, delivery and postnatal care, essential newborn care, immunization, treatment of childhood illnesses and HIV care in UNICEF supported facilities. More than 1.48 million healthcare providers were trained in detecting, referral and appropriate management of COVID-19 cases. 

A huge thanks to the millions of health care workers who worked in challenging conditions to make sure children and their families were safe.  

During the pandemic, UNICEF helped government spread critical information on how to stay safe from contracting the disease and helped create enabling environments for them to do so.

About 3.6 million people across India were reached with critical WASH supplies. These supplies included soap and sanitary pads, handwashing stations designed to minimize hand touch, and supplies for hospitals with the need to practice proper infection prevention and control.

UNICEF also converged the goals for education and child protection support to provide teachers, parents, cleaning staff and guardians for schools and child care institutions the information required to maintain healthy environments.

During this year, UNICEF also supported Government of India to provide continued services to millions of children across India who could have become stunted. 

Millions of children who could have become stunted, are now living healthy lives through UNICEF supported nutrition services. The Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in UNICEF supported states working on nutrition sessions increased from about 427,000 to over half a million. About 102,400 children (6-59 months) were admitted for treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). 

UNICEF thanks thousands of Anganwadi workers who made sure children were nourished. 

UNICEF supported Government in building capacities of over one million frontline workers to respond to the pandemic. UNICEF supported the campaign to address prevailing stigma and discrimination associated with frontline and essential workers, and COVID-19 survivors. 

UNICEF in India has reached more than a billion people on COVID-19 through messaging on prevention and access to services. About 660 million children and their families across India have been reached with accurate information on how to stay safe from COVID-19.

We salute the millions of corona warriors who continued to work in extremely challenging conditions. 

UNICEF continued to work closely with Government to make sure children were safe. Over 333,000 children and their caregivers have been provided with psychosocial support through

UNICEF's assistance, including training child protection functionaries and counsellors and the Government. About 8200 children without parental or family care were provided with appropriate alternative care arrangements.

Our salute to thousands of CHILDLINE workers and NGOs, who made sure help was just a phone call away for children who felt unsafe.   

UNICEF also thanks corporate partners and donors across India who stood firm with UNICEF and supported rights of children India.

As UNICEF celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2021, we thank you all for your vital support. 

Let's continue to work together, and Reimagine a safer future for all every girl and every boy in India