Cambodia: Close to a quarter of a million children are missing school because of the floods in Cambodia

Battle To Save Bangkok: Children In North Without Aid

Friday, 21 October 2011
Press Release: Save The Children

As authorities race to save Bangkok from flooding, Save the Children warns that children already severely affected by floods north of the city risk not getting the aid they need.

While aid efforts and media attention focus on Bangkok and the ever increasing risks of flooding in the giant metropolis, children and their families already forced to abandon their homes in Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya are struggling to get by in makeshift evacuation centres or other areas they’ve managed to find shelter.

“While much work has already been done by the authorities to meet the needs of thousands affected by the floods, this crisis is stretching everyone’s capacity to the limit and without help we’re concerned that thousands of children won’t get the aid they urgently need,” said Save the Children’s Annie Bodmer-Roy following a visit to Ayuttheya.

Save the Children is working closely with government and local civil society partners to deliver immediate aid to those who need it most – but more needs to be done.

“Families are facing increasing stress as floodwaters continue to rise – some have been forced to move several times from shelter to shelter because of flood waters fanning out into new areas. One boy I spoke to had already moved twice in one week and now might have to move again as families are being evacuated from his current shelter,” Bodmer-Roy said.

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Thailand: Over 500,000 children are estimated to be affected by the flooding in Thailand. Save the Children is also in partnership with a local NGO and has set up a network of child-friendly spaces in major evacuation centers in Bangkok. Child-friendly spaces offer a safe place for children to play while providing respite for families under stress, so parents can focus on re-establishing their livelihoods knowing their children are in safe hands. Save the Children has so far reached over 1,500 people affected by floods and plans to reach another 17,000 children in the coming days.

Cambodia: Close to a quarter of a million children are missing school because of the floods in Cambodia. Heavy monsoonal rains have also caused extensive flooding across 17 of the country's provinces and forced the closure of over 1,000 schools - and many may not reopen until the end of the year. Nearly 250 people have died since the floods began in mid-September and many children and their families face food shortages due to the 390,000 hectares of rice paddies that have been affected. Save the Children is working closely with the Cambodian Ministry of Education to establish a network of Temporary Learning Centres in Kampong Cham and Prey Veng. Within the next five days, Save the Children will establish six Temporary Learning Centres in Kampong Cham for up to 300 children.

Children’s Emergency Fund: Children are extremely vulnerable when disaster strikes and the sooner we arrive, the more children we can save. Save the Children New Zealand established the Children’s Emergency Fund in 2010 to enable us to fund emergency responses quickly and effectively. Recently, our Children’s Emergency Fund has been used to help deliver the Journey of Hope programmes in Christchurch and assist with emergency responses in Japan.

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