Haiti: Emergency assistance for children & communities affected by the earthquake | WPN World People News

Eleven months after the disaster, Tdh continues to support families living the consequences of the earthquake through the construction of more lasting housing, the establishment of permanent facilities for water and sanitation, the care management of malnourished children and the individual support of most vulnerable families through comprehensive protection and assistance measures.

Today, Tdh also mobilizes its teams to limit the impact of the cholera epidemic through care, prevention and protection of unaccompanied children following the epidemic.

In the coming months, Tdh will continue its efforts and treat malnourished children, protect the most vulnerable children, improve hygiene and sanitation, while integrating the fight against cholera in all its activities. Tdh works closely with the government and communities to ensure the sustainability of its activities, the main purpose of Tdh being to support and empower families and communities to rebuild their lives and to ensure a solid and dignified environment for their children.

Through its ongoing earthquake response programme, Tdh is in touch with extremely vulnerable people and so those heavily exposed to the risks of infection. The first response of Tdh has been to massively sensitize the population about cholera and how to prevent it.. So far, 26'670 people have benefited from awareness through home visits and community gatherings. During this awareness, each family received soap and chlorine tablets to purify drinking water. In parrallel, Tdh has taken a dynamic role in broadcasting messages of awareness and holding training courses on cholera for other organisations, the media, community leaders and political and religious authorities.

Protecting children

Tdh has set up measures for prevention and protection to avoid contamination and spread of the epidemic in nine community recreation centres, in 52 orphanages and in the Nutritional Stabilisation Unit in Les Cayes.

In Tdh recreational centers, in the West, 62 facilitators were trained, and 2'243 children and 2'219 adults were sensitized and were given soap and flasks to store water.

Everyday, Tdh protection teams go in residential centers for children (orphanages, nurseries) to prevent cases of cholera and prepare managers and staff of these institutions on how to react in case of cholera among their residents. 52 residential centers were visited several times, 123 managers and supervisory staff were trained on the risks of cholera and how to protect themselves. 7807 soaps, chlorox, buckets with tap for washing hands and buckets for water storage were distributed. Oral serum (to be taken in case of diarrhea) were also pre-positioned in case of cholera outbreak.

In the South, Tdh strengthens the protection against cholera of malnourished children in its Nutritional Stabilization Unit. A device to filter people entering and exiting the unit was established, health personnel were trained, and hygiene measures have been strengthened.

Source: Relief Web