On the Ground Update - Climate & Disaster Preparedness for Children
Strengthening children’s preparedness as climate risks rise
My name is Nasha Lee, and I am UNICEF Malaysia’s Climate and Environment Specialist.
Every day, my work focuses on one goal: helping children stay safe and healthy as climate risks rise in Malaysia. I work with teachers, communities and young people to strengthen climate education, improve preparedness and support policies that protect children.
Today, I want to share an on-the-ground update from my recent field visit, made possible thanks to supporters like you.
In early November 2025, I travelled to Rantau Panjang, Kelantan to conduct our Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) education programme with schoolchildren and teachers at Sekolah Kebangsaan Gual To’ Deh.
Floods in this part of Malaysia have become more frequent and unpredictable, and many families live with that constant worry.
When I arrived at the school hall, more than two hundred students were already gathered. They were curious, cheerful, and eager to learn how to stay safe.
Sitting with them reminded me how strong children can be when they are given the right knowledge and support.
During the session, these children learned practical steps they can use when the water starts to rise.
They received a clear safety briefing and discovered how to protect themselves and help others through fun engaging activities.
One of the children I met was Liew Cheng Kai, an eleven-year-old boy from Rantau Panjang. He was polite and soft-spoken, but he carries memories of floods that no child should have to recall.
He told me how, last year, water entered his home from both the front and the back just after midnight. His family scrambled to save what they could, and he shared that he felt sad and scared because everything was happening so fast.
Yet there he was that morning, listening closely, asking questions and determined to learn how to protect himself and his family.
During the training, Liew and other students took part in different preparedness activities.
They solved word searches, worked on puzzles, and played a DRR board game that helped them understand what to do when disasters happen.
These activities make learning about safety simple, practical, and even fun. Students also used DRR handbooks that explain floods, landslides and other hazards in simple ways that children can understand.
Alongside these activities, students also discussed what their families can do at home to stay safe during floods. Many of them shared their own stories and asked questions about real situations they have experienced. Teachers joined in too, helping guide and strengthen the children’s understanding.
As part of the session, the students also received their #BencanaReady Go Bags and life jackets, made possible through support from U Mobile and generous donors like you.
This pilot initiative helps gather support for children while giving them the chance to learn about the essential items found in an emergency Go Bag. UNICEF does not provide Go Bags, but uses them as a practical learning tool to teach children what they may need and how to stay prepared during floods.
Each Go Bag contained a towel, basic hygiene kit, poncho, whistle, torchlight, first aid kit, face mask, notebook and water bottle. They were so excited exploring what was inside, and many told us they felt more confident knowing they now had something to help them stay safe during floods.
Across Malaysia, more than fifteen thousand children have already benefited from DRR education with the support of the Ministry of Education. Your contribution as a Wira untuk Kanak-kanak helps us reach children in places where preparedness matters most.
What I saw in Kelantan is only one part of a much bigger picture. From Perlis to Sabah, children continue to face the effects of climate change every day.
The key facts below show why your support matters so deeply, and how it helps protect children in Malaysia and beyond.
Global Snapshot
- Almost every child worldwide is exposed to at least one environmental hazard, including heatwaves, air pollution, flooding or water scarcity
- 84.5 percent of children globally face three or more types of climate shocks, hazards or stresses
Malaysia Snapshot
- 8.11 million children are highly exposed to air pollution
- 1.17 million children are highly exposed to riverine flooding
- 1.16 million children are highly exposed to heatwaves
- 180,000 children are highly exposed to water scarcity
How climate impacts children
- Health: More illness, nutrition problems and heat-related risks
- Education: Floods and landslides disrupt learning and cause long absences
- Protection: Higher risks during disasters, including separation or exploitation
- Mental health: Stress and trauma from repeated disasters
What UNICEF is doing
- Research and evidence to support child-focused climate policies
- DRR education and school preparedness
- Climate and environment learning for children and communities
- Youth leadership and action through the Youth Environment Living Labs
- Strengthening systems that help children stay safe during disasters
Children like Liew remind us that while we cannot stop every flood, preparedness and knowledge can change a child’s experience completely.
With your support, we can help more children feel safe, confident and protected – no matter what climate risks they face.
Together, we can help every child in Malaysia be #BencanaReady.
