(3 February 2008) Gareth Owen, Director of Emergencies for Save the Children UK, is in Chad and
said: "The whole humanitarian network in Chad is dependent on planes flying in and out of the capital. As the violence disrupts Ndjamena, children and families across the whole country
will suffer. Aid organisations such as Save the Children are working in the east of Chad with children already struggling to survive, both refugees from Darfur and Chadians who have been forced
to flee their homes. They are vulnerable to abuse and separation from their families, have little means of getting food, clean water or healthcare, and many are missing out on school. We are currently
providing support to the communities, but if aid supplies are interrupted, millions more lives will be at risk." Owen continued: "Chad is an extremely dangerous place to
work. It is a large country and aid agencies can only move around by air because the roads are very unsafe. Some airlines have stopped flights and the UN is evacuating staff. Save the Children
has no means of moving aid and staff, and if the violence continues, our humanitarian operations will be severely hampered. This new fighting in the capital is directly increasing the suffering of
vulnerable children across the country."
What we're doing
Save the Children is continuing to support around 25,000 children in Chad, with staff in Koukou, Dogdore, Abeche
and Hadjer Hadid. The work includes education projects, distributing emergency supplies such as blankets and plastic sheeting, setting up safe places for children to play and shelter, and running
nutrition programmes to reach malnourished children.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
Children displaced during post-election violence stand in line to receive food at their temporary shelter outside Tigoni police station, near Nairobi, February 4, 2008. Former U.N. chief Kofi Annan brought Kenya's ...
