ORA week after the earthquake, the attention of aid groups is shifting to planning for the short and medium-term needs of survivors.
No group has a higher priority than the millions of children affected by the catastrophe, the UNICEF representative in Turkey explained to Euronews. Regina De Dominicis: “We know there were 4.6 million children living in the area affected by the earthquake. 811,000 of them were Syrian children. And of course we know there are very important needs for them right now. So shelter, water , winter clothing and even medical supplies.
Save the Children is one of the international support organizations on the ground. One of their first tasks is to ensure that children do not suffer further consequences for their health and well-being, as their spokesperson explains.Randa Ghazi:“What we are concerned about now is ensuring that those who survive, the survivors, continue to survive. Many families and children are now sheltering in their cars. They do not have access to shelter, warm clothing, food, drinking water. So the first challenge , of course, is to make sure that we reach all of these families, and this includes remote areas of Hatay, where security issues, such as reported looting, have made it a bit more difficult.
Beyond their immediate needs, local authorities and aid organizations also need to ensure that vulnerable surviving children are protected and not exposed to exploitation, and get them back into education.
Source: Euronews Español
