News from the Field
January 4, 2013
A New Well Offers Hope for Children and Families in Rural Kenya
It’s been years since Fatima Suthi has seen rain. The 51-year-old mother of eight lives near the Dadaab refugee camp in northeastern Kenya. Drought here has killed all of her livestock and forced her, like other pastoralist families, to adjust. Set against this brutal landscape, a UNICEF-supported water project has given her hope. At a nearby school, UNICEF has installed a bore hole that provides water to the broader community. The community is now healthier, and many children are getting an education for the first time in their lives.
January 3, 2013
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an International Joint Effort Rushes Essential Items to 20,000 Displaced Families
North Kivu province has been the site of relentless fighting for over a decade. Since April, an estimated 500,000 people have been displaced in the province. Many of these families had already been displaced, only to be forced to relocate once again. Most of the displaced population left their homes or places of refuge quickly, with few belongings. To assist these families, UNICEF has coordinated a mass distribution of relief kits, which contain ten essential items, including plastic sheeting, blankets, clothing, a wash basin and soap.
December 31, 2012
Among the Ruins Left by Typhoon Bopha in the Philippines, the Long Path to Recovery Begins
In villages and towns all over Compostela Valley, families are adjusting and trying to recover after Typhoon Bopha ripped apart their villages. The storm killed more than 1,000 people, and, as of December 18, had left 26,000 people in evacuation centers and 960,000 people living in the ruins of their homes, open areas or living with host communities. Despite difficulties in reaching all of the affected areas, UNICEF and partners have begun providing clean water, sanitation and supporting education, nutrition and child protection services.
December 28, 2012
A Winterization Program Helps Syrian Refugee Children Caught in Brutal Weather
Around 35,000 displaced Syrian children in the North and Bekaa regions of Lebanon are facing extreme weather conditions. Many have crossed the border with almost nothing and are now confronted with winter temperatures that dip below freezing, along with regular snowfall. Last week, about 270 Syrian refugees sheltering in Lebanon were hospitalized, highlighting the desperate and precarious living conditions faced by many Syrian refugee families. A key priority for UNICEF, as winter approaches, is keeping these children warm, safe and healthy.
December 27, 2012
As Nutrition Crisis Releases Its Grip, a Mother in Mauritania Gets Help for Her Unresponsive Baby
Humming softly, Fatimatou cradles her healthy, smiling 9-month-old boy Sidiahmed in her lap. It’s been a long time since she could relax and play with him. Fatimatou is a single mother, and her son was born during the nutrition crisis in the Sahel. Just over a month ago, Sidiahmed was malnourished—and often unresponsive. Fatimou took her son to a nearby UNICEF-supported outpatient nutrition center. Here, the baby received treatment for malnutrition, and Fatimatou learned techniques to help stimulate her baby and aid in his development.
