PLAN has announced a US $2.8 million recovery program for earthquake-ravaged Padang, Indonesia.
The program has already seen the start of a 6-month relief effort to reach those in immediate need and this will be followed by rehabilitation and reconstruction program expected to last a further 18 months.
International children's organisation Plan currently has a team in Padang distributing hundreds of non-food items such as emergency hygiene kits, tarpaulins and mats.
The relief program will also concentrate on providing urgent healthcare, water and sanitation and child protection and counselling for those traumatised by the quakes.
Plan will be working to get as many children back into education as possible. Some schools in the region have resumed but many are heavily damaged or unsafe. Other work areas will include disaster risk reduction training.
Director of Plan in Indonesia, John McDonough said: "Plan staff have been getting initial aid to the many traumatised people without shelter or access to basic necessities and at risk of disease. And our efforts always specifically target children, as they are the most vulnerable in such disasters.
"But already thoughts must turn to the longer-term work that is needed to get the area back to some semblance of normality. As yet, the exact number of homes, schools and health centres which need re-building is unknown but it is clear the number is considerable.
"Equally, the amount of work needed to help people rebuild their lives will take time and resources and hopefully this program will go some way towards that."
Plan does not currently have sponsored children or Program Units in the affected areas.
All work will be closely co-ordinated with the national disaster management agency and other international NGOs.
ENDS
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
A monkey reacts as it is chained to a tree in the earthquake-ravaged village of Tandikat, Indonesia's West Sumatra province October 6, 2009. Health workers doused the Indonesian city of Padang ...
