SAVE THE CHILDREN CONTINUES TO ASSIST CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AFFECTED BY NATURAL PHENOMENA IN THE AMAZON

  • June 02, 2022
  • Area: Climate change and DRM

In recent months, some vulnerable areas of the Amazon region have suffered a series of meteorological events that caused various material damage, loss of livelihoods and psychological effects on their population. On November 28, 2021, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake was reported by the National Seismology Center of Peru. The epicenter was located 98 km east of Santa María de Nieva, capital of the province of Condorcanqui, in Amazonas. The seismic movement caused damage in various regions of northeastern Peru.

Then, on December 11, creeps appeared in the town center of San Isidro, destroying their school, post and homes, forcing the population to displace. On December 23, the “Olón” ravine was activated, destroying the entire shelter of the affected families of “La Caldera”. Later, on the night of March 6, the San Luis shelter, located in the province of Utcubamba, suffered damage due to an anomalous phenomenon that included heavy rain, hail, thunder, and very strong winds. This caused the electricity service to be suspended in the area. All this left some 900 families in a condition of extreme vulnerability due to the continuity of the disasters.

INDECI estimated that, after all these events, more than 10,000 people were affected, around 6,000 were left homeless and almost 300 schools and 26 health establishments were damaged.

After the disasters and the subsequent transfer of the affected families to the shelters, Save the Children identified, mainly, that in the installed camps there was not enough water or hygienic services. In addition, among the risks for children there were cases of anemia in displaced children, possible cases of violence, interruption of the school year, among others. Finally, families suffered serious damage to their economies.

Given this situation, Save the Children responded to the urgent and unmet needs of the affected families in terms of food, hygiene, protection and health. In the Amazonas region, interventions are made in the shelters of San Luis-La Caldera, El Salao, Puerto Naranjitos, El Ingenio, San Isidro/Nueva Victoria, Guayacán populated center; and in the La Jalca district. In addition, in the Cajamarca region, the Huarango shelter was intervened.

Some of the actions implemented were the transfer of cash to the affected families with which, with the support of the Start Fund, it was possible to benefit more than 1,571 people, including 623 children and adolescents; the acquisition and distribution of urgent water and sanitation infrastructures; friendly spaces and psychosocial support for boys and girls in shelters, and identification, training and equipping 57 child protection agents.

Likewise, advice was provided to the Emergency Education Board to ensure the rehabilitation of schools and continuity of learning, and educational kits were delivered. The acquisition and immediate distribution of non-food items was also carried out; as well as the delivery of kits with differentiated foods for children between 6 months and 5 years in order to contribute to the increase of their hemoglobin.

Item of interest: Impact in the midst of Aljazeera: https://bit.ly/3NcJEzU

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