Category: New Zealand NGOs

Source: Save The Children

GREEN PROJECT – CAMBODIA

Cambodia’s Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and home to more than 1 million people.

However, higher temperatures, drought, pollution, overfishing and environmental damage, have led to a dramatic fall in the fish stocks.

Also the lack of clean water and waste facilities are damaging the environment and hampering children’s health.

Save the Children’s GREEN project, established in 2021, is aiming to help more than 40,000 children and adults around Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia, diversify their income and start “green livelihoods”.

We’re developing innovative climate-smart, health, sanitation and hygiene technologies, working in collaboration with local social enterprises. Two projects nearing completion are:

• A household water-purification system made from clay
• A waste-management system called the ‘floating pot’

We’re also collaborating with government ministries, local authorities, schools and teachers to repair schools that have been damaged by storms and install solar-powered fans to keep children cool during the dry season, which has become hotter due to climate change.

Source: Save The Children

Temor’s story

The worst drought in 30 years is wiping out crops, livestock and water resources in Afghanistan.

This, coupled with a crippling economic crises, has led to unprecedented levels of hunger and malnutrition:

• 2 in 3 people across the country are in need of humanitarian aid.
• 15.3 million people are facing food insecurity, with many families, like Temor’s*, living on bread and water for weeks at a time.
• 41% of children under 5 are facing acute malnutrition

Temor*, 12, lives with his mother Sonia* and two brothers and sister Samera* (7 months) in a single room home made from mud in Faryab province, northern Afghanistan.

Sadly, his family has not gone unscathed. The lack of employment and rise in food prices have meant Sonia* cannot buy enough food for her children.

As a result, Temor’s* younger siblings have been impacted by malnutrition – Samera*, who is 7 months old, only weighs 3.6kg and his two-year-old brother Sultan* still cannot walk.

Samera* and Sultan* are now receiving treatment for malnutrition at a Save the Children mobile clinic, which visits their community regularly.

But millions of other children aren’t as lucky.

Without enough food or the right nutrition, children can’t learn, play, or grow. Hunger not only devours children’s dreams, it threatens their survival.

Source: Save The Children

Bees love mangroves, which provide them with a perfect haven. In turn, they pollinate the mangroves, helping them grow.

The mangroves then protect the islands – along with wildlife and food sources like fish and crabs – from storms and high tides.

They even store carbon deposits that don’t make their way into the atmosphere, effectively slowing climate change globally.  

And all the while, the bees produce sweet honey for community farmers to sell. 

With that money, Alison can pay for her children’s school fees, giving them opportunities to learn and thrive.

She can make sure they’re well fed too – even when heavy rain inevitably affects her garden in the future. 

We can’t completely stop climate change. But by thinking differently we can help families adapt and stay safe through the storms ahead. 

Source: Save The Children

A child standing behind a fence in Gaza (Photo Credit: Bisan Owda/ Save the Children)

Ramallah, 07 November – A month of relentless bombardment of densely populated civilian areas has exacerbated the already-critical mental health crisis for Gaza’s children with far-reaching consequences, as coping strategies and safe spaces are ripped away and mental health services and assistance are cut off, says Save the Children.

Over the past month,  4,008 children have been killed in Gaza, with a further 1,270 children missing, presumed buried under the rubble. A further 43 children have been killed in the occupied West Bank, and 31 children killed in Israel, while media reports indicate that around 30 children are being held hostage. The aid agency is concerned for the physical and emotional wellbeing of children across the region – including the West Bank and Israel – and warns that children’s mental health in Gaza has been pushed beyond breaking point. 

With Israeli airstrikes over the last month hitting thousands of civilian spaces in Gaza including schools and hospitals sheltering families the violence, fear, grief and uncertainty is causing serious mental harm for children with no safe place to go. 

The Ministry of Health in Gaza reports that 444 families have lost two to five members to the violence in the last four weeks, including 192 families who have lost 10 or more members, leaving many children without family support – a critical coping mechanism for children experiencing trauma. Medical professionals in Gaza including Médecins Sans Frontiers/Doctors without Borders have shared that the number of children without surviving family members arriving for medical care is so high that a new acronym has been coined to identify them – “WCNSF” (Wounded Child No Surviving Family). 

Save the Children’s mental health experts warn that the current conduct of hostilities in Gaza is exposing children to extremely traumatic episodes while stripping away options to help them cope. There is no safe place, no sense of security and no routine, with thousands displaced from their homes. Caregivers experiencing their own stress are struggling to help children cope with the overwhelming emotional reactions typical of young people traumatized by violence. Under current conditions in Gaza, children are experiencing a whole host of signs and symptoms of trauma including anxiety, fear, worry about their safety and that of their loved ones, nightmares and disturbing memories, insomnia, bottling up emotions and withdrawing from loved ones. The trauma giving rise to these symptoms is ongoing, relentless and compounding day by day. 

Yousef*, Save the Children staff member in Gaza, and father of three children aged under 10, said:

“There is a lot of loss and a lot of pain. We are fearful: of what the coming hours will bring, of what tomorrow will bring. Death is everywhere. My children look into my eyes every day, they are searching for answers. I have no answers for them. It is very hard, especially for children. We try to pull ourselves together to support and protect children. The needs are huge.” 

Since the land, air and sea blockade was imposed in 2007, the lives of children in Gaza have been mired by severe deprivation, cycles of violence and restrictions on their freedom. A report published by Save the Children in June 2022 showed that children’s mental health was already at breaking point. 80% of children reported feeling in a perpetual state of fear, worry, sadness and grief. Three quarters of children were bedwetting in fear, and a growing number were exhibiting reactive mutism. 

Jason Lee, Save the Children’s Country Director for the occupied Palestinian territory, said:

“In times of war, people usually seek refuge in safe places. There are no safe places in Gaza right now, and there is no way of reaching safety outside. With a sense of safety, the constant reassuring presence of family, some kind of a routine and appropriate treatment, children can recover. But so many children have already lost family members, some have lost all, and the violence and displacement is relentless.

“Time and time again, we’ve warned that the toll of conflict and the blockade on children’s mental health is too great. Even before this escalation, more than half of parents we spoke to reported that their children were self-harming or experiencing suicidal thoughts.  

 We are running out of words to raise the alarm in strong enough terms or to articulate the scale of children’s suffering. 

There must be a ceasefire. Without one, the children who aren’t killed will have their last reserves of hope and trust that they will be protected completely destroyed. Every day of violence means more mental and physical scars that will last a lifetime. Without an immediate ceasefire, there’s a very real risk that children’s mental health will be pushed to the point of no return.”

All children across the region have a right to be protected. Save the Children is calling on the international community to support a ceasefire without further delay and ensure that all parties to the conflict respect International Humanitarian Law, as is their obligation.

-ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

 

According to OCHA, civilian infrastructure hit by Israeli airstrikes this month includes at least 253 education facilities, 101 health facilities, 58 places of worship, three refugee camps and more than 40,000 housing units. 

The child casualty figures stated are sourced from OCHA, citing the Ministries of Health in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel respectively. Due to the current situation, information and numbers provided by these authorities cannot be verified independently.

*******************************************************************************************************************

For further enquiries please contact:

Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

Source: Save The Children

SANA’A, 6 November 2023 – Save the Children resumed its operations in Yemen today after a 10-day suspension following the death of a staff member in detention that led to calls for an immediate independent investigation and a period of mourning for the organisation. 

The aid agency suspended its programmes in the northern part of the country after the unexplained death of Safety and Security Director Hisham Al-Hakimi, 44, a father of four, who was detained on 9 September. His funeral was held on 29 October. 

While Save the Children continues to grieve Hisham, the organisation also remains committed to the children of Yemen where 21.6 million people, including 11 million children – are expected to need humanitarian assistance and protection this year. 

Save the Children continues to demand for an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Hisham’s death.

The suspended programmes accounted for more than 65% of Save the Children’s operations in the country.  Last year the organisation reached 1.8 million people in Yemen including 1.1 million children. 

“During this time of reflection, we not only honoured Hisham’s memory but also reaffirmed our commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of our staff,” said David Wright, Chief Operating Officer at Save the Children. “The needs of the children in Yemen are immense, and they continue to be our driving force. As we resume our operations, we remain dedicated to providing the lifesaving assistance children require.  

The tragic death of Hisham is a stark reminder of the severe challenges that Yemen continues to face, but it will not deter Save the Children or the humanitarian community from providing aid. It is critical for the international community, parties to the conflict, and all stakeholders involved to recognise and uphold the neutrality and safety of humanitarian staff who are dedicated to serving the most vulnerable populations. 

Save the Children has been working in Yemen since 1963, implementing programmes in education, child protection, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, and emergency response across most of the country. 

ENDS 

*******************************************************************************************************************

 For further enquiries please contact:

Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

Source: Save The Children

Source: Save The Children

KYIV, 6 November 2023 – Rural families in the southern Mykolaiv region of Ukraine are recovering from war-induced losses with new members of the family: cows and chickens.

Livestock distributed by Save the Children are providing some families with a source of income while people rebuild both their homes and their lives.

Families in Ukraine’s countryside have traditionally been largely self-sufficient and relied on farming and livestock to feed themselves as well as to generate income. According to a UN report, 72% of rural households across Ukraine are involved in agricultural production, with 63% relying on their own produce in frontline regions of the country.

“A lot of people used to have cattle here. People survived from this. A lot can be made – butter and cottage cheese. You can cook pancakes if you have milk. What is not consumed might be sold,” said Olha*, a leader of a village in southern Mykolaiv region where two in five families used to keep livestock.

“Shelling was so heavy that we had to flee as fast as we could. Some were able to let the cows go free, others were not. Later we heard that many of the freed cows drowned at the pond where they went to drink.”

Research suggests that since the escalation of war in February 2022, damage to Ukraine’s agricultural sector has totalled an estimated $8.7 billion which includes the loss of 215,000 cows, 760,000 pigs and 15.1 million poultry. Agriculture provides employment for about 14% of Ukraine’s population with agricultural products being the country’s most important exports.

As a result of this damage, about 40% of households in frontline areas of the country have been forced to reduce or completely abandon agriculture. Additionally, drought driven by climate change has meant loss of crops even in private family gardens.

Despite warnings for their safety, 15-year-old Lana* and her family returned to their home village multiple times after they had fled to Mykolaiv, just to milk and feed their cows. But eventually, the constant shelling forced the family to seek safety in Western Ukraine.

When they returned home eight months later, there was no trace of their herd of cows. Mice and stray dogs had taken over their home. But Lana’s* mother was able to buy several new cows with cash provided by aid organisations, and they have recently received another cow from Save the Children.

“The new one’s name is Lucia – mother called her that, but I call her Zoriana [Ukrainian for ‘star-ridden’]. I feed the cows, I let them out in the morning, and I bring them in at night. I love them, I kiss them and bring them apples and pears as a treat. They are dear to me,” Lana* said.

Lana’s* aunt Oksana*, 54, said: “Now there are no salaries and no work in the village. The cows help us survive. There’s no need to expect anything from anyone. We sell the milk at the market, we make cheese, and take it to the city [to sell]. We lived like this before the war, and we are now slowly getting back to our feet.”

Vadym*, 48, lives in a neighbouring village with his wife and their son Danylo*, 14. The family lives in a one-room modular house in the garden of their once flourishing home, which was destroyed by shelling. The family used to work in the surrounding fields which are now filled with landmines, making them off-limits.

As there are now few opportunities to earn an income in the village, Vadym* relies heavily on humanitarian assistance, both to restore the house and to feed his family.

“We used to earn a living growing vegetable and grains. We also had livestock – cows and pigs. The war took everything away. Now we have nothing. We only have one cow given to us by [Save the Children]”, said Vadym*, one of 10 people in his small village who received cattle from Save the Children.

As an inaugural part of its livelihoods programme, Save the Children has distributed cows and chicken to 100 families in the Mykolaiv region who lost their livestock and whose households were severely damaged in the war.

Sonia Khush, Country Director for Save the Children in Ukraine, said:

“This war has upended the lives of millions across Ukraine. Children and their families in frontline areas had to flee raging combat and leave everything behind. Some are now finally able to return, only to see their homes reduced to rubble, fields sowed with landmines, and farm animals killed in shelling. All that used to give life to rural communities is now gone.

“It is children who suffer the most when families struggle financially. They used to rely on food they produce themselves, and now cannot produce or afford it. The cows and chickens also give children and families some semblance of normalcy and a return to traditional self-sufficiency.”

Save the Children calls on all warring parties to refrain from the use of explosive weapons, in populated areas and account for impact on civilian populations while carrying out military activities. Full and unhindered humanitarian access to families caught up in crisis must be ensured as it is essential for assisting and protecting children in war-affected areas.

Save the Children has been working in Ukraine since 2014 and have considerably scaled up our operations since the war escalated in February 2022. We are working closely with multiple partners to provide life-saving assistance such as food and water, cash transfers, and safe spaces, to make sure children and families impacted by this crisis have the support they need.

ENDS

*names changed to protect identity

For more information please contact:

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

Source: Save The Children

KATHMANDU, 4 November 2023 – A 6.4 magnitude earthquake in Jajarkot and Rukum West districts in Nepal has killed at least 157 people and injured 166, Save the Children said.  

Heather Campbell, Save the Children Country Director for Nepal and Bhutan said:

“The situation in Jajarkot and Rukum West is dire – the latest death toll is 157 and number of injured 166*. These are residential areas so children are likely among these tragic figures.

“The earthquake has also damaged thousands of homes and forced people into tents, or worse, under the open sky. These are freezing temperatures, with snow on its way, and children are at risk of pneumonia and other health conditions. Adding to this, there is a lack of drinking water and food, and local hospitals and health facilities are overcrowded.

“When it comes to disasters like this, it is children who are most vulnerable. These communities desperately need shelter, warm clothes and blankets, clean water, food and first aid but with roads damaged due to landslides, this will be a challenge.”

Save the Children has sent a response team with hygiene kits and high altitude shelter kits, and more response efforts are being planned in co-ordination with provincial and local governments and other humanitarian organisations.

ENDS

*government figures

We have spokespeople available. For more information please contact:

media@savethechildren.org.uk/ / +44(0)7831 650409

Emily Wight, Emily.Wight@savethechildren.org;

Rachel Thompson, Rachel.Thompson@savethechildren.org

Source: Save The Children

RAMALLAH, 4 November – At least 41 children have been killed in the West Bank since the escalation of violence that started on 7 October, while thousands of children’s lives continue to be cut short by ongoing bombardment of Gaza, Save the Children said.

According to the Ministry of Health, 3,760 children have been killed in Gaza, while Israeli media reports that 30 children have been killed in Israel.

Settler-related violence and resulting forced displacement have also soared, with the UN reporting an average of seven incidents a day since 7 October, resulting in Palestinian casualties or damage to Palestinian property, compared to three incidents a day since the beginning of the year.

At least 111 families, including 356 children, in the West Bank, have been displaced  since the beginning of the ongoing escalation. Since 2022, nearly 2,000 Palestinians have been displaced amid settler violence, with a 43% increase in settler-driven displacement since 7 October.

Violence has also spilled into the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, where at least 23,000 are registered to live.  The most recent incident occurred on 2 November during a raid by Israeli forces, where five Palestinians were reported killed in the sixth raid in two weeks on Jenin.

Lara*, 16, lives in Jenin, where she often witnesses Israeli military raids. She said:

“My feeling is the same as every time, of course I feel unsafe and scared. But this time I felt it was more intense, scarier. Because I feel I am more exposed to danger, as well as my parents, my loved ones and friends. And the loud noises frighten me, especially the sounds of sirens and bombs.”

Previous research conducted by Save the Children in the West Bank shows that being forced from their homes cripples children’s sense of safety, leads to severe emotional distress, and leaves them cut off from their friends and communities.

Save the Children’s Country Director for the occupied Palestinian territory, Jason Lee, said:

“Children across the occupied Palestinian territory are increasingly caught up in a horrifying spiral of violence, while the world is watching. But the conflict`s devastating impact on children did not start on 7 October. Violence and displacement have been ongoing for years, with children paying the highest price for a conflict they have no part in. By September this was already the deadliest year on record for children in the West Bank, and we’re nearing the same number in less than a month.

“Time and time again, children are shot at, locked-up, harassed. This has to stop.

“The international community must use its influence to ensure that international law is respected, as is their obligation.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• Save the Children is an independent, impartial organisation. With the ongoing complete siege of Gaza, journalists and international organisations are not able to get access to Gaza to verify independently and provide updated data on the impact of ongoing bombardment on the civilian population. Save the Children, in line with OCHA updates, is currently relying on data from the Israeli Ministry of Health for casualties in Israel and from the Gaza Ministry of Health for casualties inside Gaza. Due to the current situation, information and numbers provided by both ministries cannot be verified independently. 

For more information please contact:

Out of hours media media@savethechildren.org.uk/ / +44(0)7831 650409

Regional Media Manager for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe Randa.Ghazy@savethechildren.org;

Global Media Manager for the Middle East and North Africa Soraya.Ali@savethechildren.org

Source: Save The Children

Hasan*, a father of four and Save the Children staff member, is sheltering with his family in a facility hosting over 20,000 people. He continues to assist other affected civilians despite the ongoing situation.

Photo: Hassan*, sitting and cooking for his children. In his words: This is how we secure food for our families. After 15 days without bread, I finally found this and tried to make something for the children other than rice. Here is his story in his words when asked:

What does it mean to be a displaced person in a centre right now? 

Displaced means there is no mattress or pillow. Your mattress is the floor or your car, and your cover is a sheet that has been sitting in a warehouse for years, it smells musty, and there is no way to wash it.  

Your pillow is the only bag of clothes you left your house with. You have constant back and leg pain from sleeping in awkward positions. Stomach aches and throat pain from the cold, and a headache from the anxiety. 

Displaced means there is no water at all. You do not wash your hands, do not wash your clothes. 

Displaced means there is no clean water to drink… you might have to drink contaminated water, full of diseases. And you might even die of thirst or from drinking the water. 

Displaced means that when you want to go to the bathroom, you have to wait in line behind 600 people until your turn comes. When your turn finally comes, there will be another 500 people knocking on the door for you to finish quickly, and of course, there is no water in the bathroom. 

Displaced means there is no cooked food, no bread, no food at all, except for a few boxes of cheese, which smells from the heat. No drink.

You go to the bakery to get bread for your family… you stand in line for seven hours, sometimes the bread might finish before your turn comes. Even if your turn comes, you are given just one bundle, not even enough for one meal – that is if you don’t get hit by an airstrike while you are waiting. 

Displaced means the loaf of bread is split between two, or possibly four; whatever it is, it’s never enough. The important thing is that you ate and that is a great achievement. 

Displaced means you look up to the sky 30 times every minute, imagining that a new massacre will happen to you, and the latest breaking news will be about you and your family. 

Displaced means taking a shower is a dream that is difficult to achieve. Taking a bath is an impossible luxury. 

Displaced means you always hear the bombing around you, and you see it, but you never know where it’s coming from.  

Displaced means that there is no electricity except by chance or luck, there is no mobile phone battery, there are no calls or messages, there is no internet, there is no communication with the world. You may die and no one in your family would know that you died. 

Displaced means oppression, anxiety, tension, hunger, sweat, distress, delusion, sadness, darkness, anticipation, fear for the children, fear for the family, fear for the friends, fear for the future. 

Please, when you read the word “displaced,” give it deep thorough thinking.

Amjad*, is another Save the Children staff member and a father to three children, all under 12 years old. He travelled outside of Gaza a week before the conflict started. In his words:

My little daughter told me that she hugs the pillow, kisses it, and says: “Why did you travel and leave me here?” What can I do? My young son tells me: “You told me that you would travel on Thursday and come back the following week, why didn’t you come home? If the crossing opens and the war is not over, will you come back?. 

*Names changed to protect identity. Stories were collected on 1st November.

YOU CAN HELP PROTECT CHILDREN’S LIVES IN GAZA. PLEASE GIVE WHAT YOU CAN BY DONATING TO OUR CHILDREN’S EMERGENCY FUND.