Save the Children
provides winter warmth for earthquake-affected children facing another harsh winter
Thousands of children in Northern Pakistan whose lives were turned upside down by the South Asia
earthquake in October 2005 will be given warm clothes, blankets, shoes, and coats by Save the Children to help get them through the winter.
Between 22 December and 28 December, Save the
Children will be distributing over 8,400 sets of children's clothing - 4,200 in Muzzafarabad and 4,200 in Bagh, the two areas that were worst affected by the disaster. The sets will
contain pair of socks, rain coats, pair of gloves/ mittens, pair of shoes, pullovers/cardigans, and shawls/scarf for girl children, baby blankets for newborns, and leggings, and woollen trousers.It is estimated that around 40,000 children are still living in tents in regions affected by the earthquake and thousands also go to school under canvas as only a handful of the 8,000 schools that
were destroyed have been rebuilt.
Adeel Qaiser, Save the Children's Programme Manager in Bagh, said:
"Winter in this mountainous region is extremely harsh. The thousands of children
that are still living and learning in tents or basic shelters will be facing freezing temperatures, driving rain and many feet of snow. We are extremely concerned at how this will affect the
children's health and are expecting a huge increase in respiratory diseases. By giving children warm clothes we will be providing them with some comfort from the elements."As well as
distributing children's clothing, Save the Children in Pakistan is working to help rebuild the education system by building temporary classrooms across the affected region. After the
earthquake the Save the Children Alliance provided shelter for around 45,600 families.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
