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Pakistan

Pakistan: Children - the primary demographic in need

by Steve Matthews - WVI GRRT Communications Manager

Children are the focus of World Vision's long-term work in earthquake-ravaged Pakistan.

With UNICEF reporting an estimated 1.6 million to 2.2 million children affected by the quake, and another 17,000 killed, clearly there are more children than adults in need of shelter, protection, food, medical care, and other necessities.

Many of the youngest ones who survived witnessed horrible things such as classmates, parents, or relatives killed or injured. Complicating the situation is the destruction of schools. The Pakistan government estimates suggest that about 7,000 schools in the North Western Frontier Province were destroyed.

With a flexible approach to Child Friendly Spaces (CFS), World Vision has added an element linking education to the CFS program.

World Vision Child Protection Coordinator Siân Platt says, "The emergency has allowed cultural barriers to come down and this is the time to build trust. As families and communities get to know World Vision, children are encouraged to participate in the decision-making process and most of them do want to get back to their studies."

The children in CFS will also learn basic hygiene practices. While receiving snacks, the youngsters are taught to wash their hands and use garbage bins for wrappers and empty containers. Snacks are a part of the program, but regular meals will continue to take place in temporary home tents or feeding centres, depending on the community's need.

World Vision's CFS are just one of several programs aimed at avoiding a second disaster as the weather gets colder and food shortages become more widespread.

Platt says, "The tents used for Child Friendly Spaces will be winterised, possibly with space heaters as needed."

Three World Vision Child Friendly Spaces opened in the closing days of October. Another 14 are planned, with 17 in total, to be running for at least 12 months.

World Vision's CFS staff provide another benefit as compassionate ears for the children's stories. At one CFS this past weekend, one five-year-old said, "I'm not going back to school because schools fall down. I like living in a tent. It is light. It can't fall down and kill anyone."

Platt says, "What we can do here is only a drop in the bucket. However, already the visitors to our Child Friendly Spaces are seeing hope and that hope will grow as more families come to trust us."