Save The Children

Five Years After Katrina, U.S. Remains Unprepared to Protect Children During Disasters

2010-08-25T22:14:00.000-04:00

New Reports Reveal Millions of Children Vulnerable Should Disaster Strike

WASHINGTON, D.C., (August 23, 2010) — New reports from Save the Children and the National Commission on Children and Disasters reveal that the federal government and a vast majority of states are still not fully prepared to protect children in disasters, five years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast.

Children participate in a Save the Children program following Hurricane Katrina intended to build community and self-esteem and strengthen resilience.

According to Save the Children's report, fewer than one quarter of all states and the District of Columbia have enacted four basic safeguards to protect kids who are in school or child care during disasters, such as requiring all licensed child care centers to have a plan to reunite children with their families and requiring schools to have a clear written evacuation plan in place.

A report approved today by the National Commission on Children and Disasters shows modest progress at the federal level to accommodate the needs of children should a disaster strike. Among the findings are seriously underfunded federal programs for school disaster preparedness, inadequate coordination among federal, state and local agencies and lack of preparedness in our private health care system, including a disturbing finding that only six percent of hospital emergency rooms carry essential pediatric equipment.

Hurricane Katrina revealed the harm children and families experience when kids are not accounted for in disaster planning:

The storm displaced nearly 200,000 children from the Gulf Region.
Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, it took six months for all of the 5,192 children separated from their families to be reunited.
About 50,000 Louisiana and Mississippi children missed school in the 2005-2006 school year and approximately 15,000 did not attend in the 2006-2007 school year.
More than a third of Louisiana children affected by the storm experienced clinically-diagnosed depression, anxiety, or another behavior disorder.

"Parents assume that their children are taken care of when they drop them off at school or child care,” said Mark Shriver, Save the Children U.S. Programs senior vice president, “But many schools and child care facilities are not required to meet basic standards to protect kids should a disaster strike. For the 67 million kids separated from their families on any given day, this is unacceptable. If we're not prepared to protect kids, we're not prepared to protect America."

The BP Oil Spill this summer also revealed a major lack of preparation. Families recovering from this man-made disaster are experiencing similar issues that families face in the aftermath of a hurricane or other natural disaster. The spill has had catastrophic effects on the local economy and the community, and has placed enormous strain on parents, who are forced to pull their kids out of child care because they cannot afford it. Struggling parents frequently must bring their kids with them to BP claim centers, where they face long lines outside in the summer heat, putting children at risk for heat exposure.

In order to better prepare our nation to protect kids in an emergency, Save the Children urges the adoption of all four standards outlined in the report by states as well as federal passage of the Child Safety, Care, and Education Continuity Act of 2010 (H.R. 5240/S. 2898), which would require states to adhere to many of the same standards. Congresswoman Corrine Brown (D-FL) is the sponsor of the House legislation, and Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) are the sponsors of the Senate measure.

Nafy's Story: Kangaroo Mother Care in Mali

2010-04-20T17:24:00.000-04:00

Dr. Nialen Kaba, Save the Children, project assistant for newborn survival and health

Bamako, Mali

April 14, 2010

I met Nafy on a visit to the Kangaroo Mother Care unit at Gabriel Toure Hospital in Bamako, Mali this past December. She was proud to be carrying her newborn son on her chest.

At delivery, Nafy was upset when the midwife told her that her baby was very small, weighing only 1200 grams (2.6 pounds). When her husband Adama learned of the baby’s condition, his joy quickly faded and he decided not to give the child a name. So, Nafy named him Ismael.

The day after Ismael was born, he was transferred to the pediatrics unit of the hospital. Expecting the worst, Nafy was relieved to learn that her baby had no abnormalities. However, because he was born premature, he would need to be kept warm to help him gain weight and grow.

She was told about Kangaroo Mother Care, a recently accepted practice in Mali that when coupled with a mother’s determination could help Ismael survive.

View a photo essay featuring moms and babies in the Kangaroo Mother Care ward at Gabriel Toure Hospital in Bamako, Mali.

Nafy quickly adopted the Kangaroo Mother Care method in hopes of seeing her baby survive. She was forced to cope with Ismael alone because her husband Adama and his family were convinced that her efforts would be in vain.

Their reaction only reinforced Nafy’s resolve. She practiced Kangaroo Mother Care and Ismael gained weight day by day.

Her slogan was, “She who gives birth to a snake, attaches him to her waist.” The slogan means: Whatever the physical and mental condition of her baby, a mother is always ready to do whatever it takes to help her child survive.

Each year, about 900,000 newborns worldwide die due to premature births. In Mali, more than 14 percent of newborns are born premature, according to the 2006 Mali Demographic Health Survey. But since the kangaroo care center opened 20 months ago, sover 550 babies have benefitted.

Learn how more than 50 percent of newborn deaths could be saved through Kangaroo Mother Care.

On the day I visited Nafy, Ismael was entering his third week of life. He weighed 2800 grams (6 pounds) and wiggled to break free from the chest of his mother, who never stopped smiling.

Learn more about Survive to 5, Save the Children's campaign to save the lives of children under 5.

Save the Children and Scholastic Establish 'Education Recovery Fund' to Benefit Haiti over the Long Term

2010-04-19T21:02:00.000-04:00

Haitian children at a temporary school in Martissant, Haiti. Photo credit: Rebecca Janes.

WESTPORT, Conn. (April 19, 2010) — Save the Children has teamed up with Scholastic to establish a long-term education recovery fund that will benefit the children of Haiti.

The Scholastic Education Recovery Fund was seeded by a $50,000 contribution from Scholastic following the earthquake and will receive an additional $50,000 contribution from Scholastic in connection with this month's publication of a new paperback edition of Hope Is An Open Heart by Lauren Thompson. The book pays tribute to children's resilience and ability to consider the brighter aspects of life — to be hopeful — even in the most difficult situations.

"Scholastic supports organizations that share our mission to provide hope and help on a long-term basis to children and families after natural disasters," says Karen Proctor, vice president of Community Affairs and Government Relations at Scholastic.

"Through the Education Recovery Fund we can support the rebuilding of Haiti by investing in the children — recognizing that by providing them with educational resources, we are encouraging them to keep learning, growing and preparing for their futures as the next leaders of their country."

"We truly appreciate Scholastic's contribution and commitment to helping the children of Haiti get an education through their newly established Scholastic Education Recovery Fund," said Chloe O'Gara, Save the Children's director for Education and Child Development. "More than three months after the Haiti quake, the country still faces tremendous challenges in getting children into school, some for the first time. But, they are not insurmountable."

The Haitian Ministry of Education estimates that 90 percent of schools in the affected areas have been damaged or destroyed following the January earthquake, that over 400,000 children have been displaced, and that only 50 percent of students have returned to schools. In addition, many teachers and administrators in the Ministry of Education were killed or injured in the quake or were displaced from their homes.

O'Gara added, "The education recovery fund will help us reach more Haitian children through our education programs, getting them back into school and a routine among friends, where they can begin to recover from this crisis, and setting them on a path of learning that will benefit them for years to come."

About Scholastic and Hope Is An Open Heart

Hope Is An Open Heart, an inspirational children's picture book, was originally published by Scholastic Press in the wake of the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes to provide encouragement and inspiration for all children dealing with challenging situations. The new, revised version, available through all of Scholastic's distribution channels to schools and at bookstores nationwide in April 2010, features new photographs and text about the January earthquake that ravaged Haiti.

Save the Children Helps Reunite 9-Year-Old Haitian Child, Missing for Months, with Her Mother and Sisters

2010-04-17T15:33:00.000-04:00

Marie-Ange, Believed Dead by Her Family, Overcomes Disaster

Save the Children has helped reunite a 9-year-old girl, who survived Haiti's massive earthquake, domestic servitude and a stampede, with the mother who believed her dead.

About a year before the January 12 earthquake, the girl's mother sent young Marie-Ange to live with an aunt who had agreed to look after her. The mother, Clotide, did not have the means to support her family of four children in their rural mountainous village of Cabaret. Her husband was absent and did not provide for his family. The aunt took Marie-Ange to Port-au-Prince, an unfamiliar city 50 kilometers from home. There she was made to work as a restavek (domestic servant) in her aunt's home.

Marie-Ange, age 9, survived Haiti's massive earthquake, domestic servitude, and a stampede to be reunited with her mother and sisters. April 12, 2010.

When the earthquake struck, the aunt's family fled for downtown Port-au-Prince, where thousands of people had sought haven from their destroyed homes and ongoing aftershocks. Just days after the quake, in the chaos and confusion of the overcrowded camp at Champs de Mars, a rumor that a tsunami was approaching the beleaguered city caused a stampede. Marie-Ange was left behind.

Fortunately Marie-Ange was spotted — alone, standing in the middle of a busy street and obviously in shock — by a man named Mikenson, who asked her where her family was. She replied her aunt had left her and she had nowhere to go.

Mikenson took Marie-Ange home to his wife. Despite their limited means, Mikenson and his family provided shelter, food and clothing to Marie-Ange for more than two months.

Tracing Marie-Ange's Family

Mikenson's sister-in-law works for an organization called Terre des Hommes. She asked Save the Children to try and trace Marie-Ange's family so she that she could be reunited with her mother and sisters.

Save the Children sent two case workers to Mikenson's home in Carrefour, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. They collected information about Marie-Ange and registered her in the Family Tracing and Reunification Program, which identifies unaccompanied children and works to reunite them with their family.

Save the Children is working with the Haitian Ministry of Social Welfare, the Institute de Bien-Etre Social et de Recherches (IBESR), which is the department within the ministry responsible for reunification of separated families, and other humanitarian organizations throughout Haiti to bring families back together.

"After the earthquake, many children have been spontaneously taken in by members of their community and are often fine there," said Georges J. Revolvus, Save the Children's case coordinator. "However, it is necessary to provide help to those who have nowhere to go. We follow up and check in on the children who are receiving informal foster care within their communities and continue to provide protection and help to those who have been separated."

The two case workers interviewed Marie-Ange and then visited Cabaret, where they located Marie-Ange's mother. They also met with her community, verified information they had been provided in Carrefour, and then went back to Mikenson. They explained that they had found Marie-Ange's family.

In the meantime, in Cabaret, Marie-Ange's desperate mother had tried to locate her daughter. She pleaded on the local radio station for information about the little girl. The aunt then went to Cabaret and told Clotide that her daughter had died in the earthquake. It was pointless, she said, to try and look for her. Clotide even visited a voodoo priest, who also told her that Marie-Ange had been killed in the earthquake.

Resigned to the fact that she had lost her little girl, Clotide and the village began mourning the death of Marie-Ange.

Finally, after an extensive investigation and verification process, Clotide was told that Marie-Ange was alive and well.

The Reunion

Clothide is reunited with her daughter, Marie-Ange, who has been missing for months and believed dead. April 12, 2010

IBERS Coordinator Vanel Benjamin, Save the Children case workers and case coordinator, Georges J. Revolvus, took Marie-Ange to her home village in Cabaret. The community greeted them with tears in their eyes.

After embracing Marie-Ange, Clotide said, "I can't thank you enough. You have brought my daughter to me. I thought she was dead. It is amazing to see her again. We are all so happy that Marie-Ange has returned home — we are a family again."

The community praised the work conducted by Terre des Hommes, Save the Children and IBESR in tracing Marie-Ange and bringing her back home. They were especially grateful to Mikenson, who looked after Marie-Ange in the most difficult of circumstances.

About the Family Tracing and Child Reuinfication Program

Today, 20 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are working with the Ministry of Social Welfare and UNICEF to identify unaccompanied children and, if possible, return them to their families. A lead NGO has been assigned to each department in the country, while Port-au-Prince is divided among Save the Children, International Refugee Committee and World Vision.

Save the Children has 20 case workers and two case coordinators working on 209 active cases. They follow each case from registration through reunification. In total, organizations are tracing 767 cases; thus far, 25 children have rejoined their families.

All of these agencies have teams that work from standard questionnaires, conduct interviews and then feed information into a central database.

A call center is available for NGOs to report information on separated or unaccompanied children. Humanitarian organizations and other groups can call the line when they encounter a separated child, who is then registered. They work to ensure children are cared for, usually with spontaneous foster families, while their families are traced.

Save the Children has worked in Haiti for more than 30 years and has child protection teams visiting camps, shelters and communities across Haiti's earthquake zone. These child protection specialists are working with community leaders to ensure the safety of the children during the family reunification process.

A Mother’s Day Gift That Gives Lasting Joy

2010-04-17T03:28:00.001-04:00

For $13 You Can Help Save a Newborn's Life and Still Afford Flowers for Your Mom

WESTPORT,Conn. (April 13, 2010) — This Mother's Day, Save the Children has a special gift that can help save a newborn's life in some of the poorest, most remote communities in the world. For as little as $13 you can buy one Newborn Care Package, which is a package consisting of life-saving supplies and information for a new mother and her baby. Your gift can be given in your own mother's name or to honor another mom or special person.

Each kit contains essential supplies; for example, depending on the country, a kit may have soap, a clean cloth in which to wrap the baby, guidance on breastfeeding and a knit baby cap to provide warmth during the first critical hours of life. Your gift can also help with the cost of training community health workers who make home visits to mothers who are without easy access to hospitals or clinics.

Nearly 4 million babies die each year in their first month of life — half within the first 24 hours of life — mostly from preventable and treatable causes, such as pneumonia and diarrhea. Thousands of these young lives can be saved with existing, affordable solutions. This gift can help give a mother the supplies and education she needs to give her baby a healthy start in life.

Save the Children Readies to Respond to Massive Earthquake in Chile

2010-03-01T09:59:00.001-05:00

Agency to Send Assessment Team Focusing on Needs of Children and Families

WESTPORT, Conn. (Feb. 27, 2010) — Save the Children is readying to send its emergency assessment team to Chile, site of a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake early this morning.

The quake struck near Chile's second-largest city, Concepción, and has caused extensive damage. The capital Santiago, about 200 miles north of the epicentre, was also badly hit. Powerful aftershocks continue.

The president has declared an "area of ecocatastrophe."

"Any disaster increases the vulnerability of children. And we know from experience that an earthquake of this enormity — with widespread destruction of homes, schools, infrastructure and piece of mind — will put thousands of children at risk," said Charles MacCormack, Save the Children's president and CEO. "It is critical to reach affected children and families now in the early hours and meet their immediate survival needs. At the same time, we must also ensure that children, because they are at greater risk, are protected and nurtured as their country begins the difficult relief and recovery process."

What You Can Do

You can help Save the Children respond to emergencies around the world that put at risk the survival, protection, and well-being of significant numbers of children. By contributing to our Children's Emergency Fund, you enable us to prepare and respond immediately to children and families who urgently need our help when disasters strike.

Bake Sales, Swim-a-thons, Pancake Breakfasts: U.S. Kids Do Their Part to Help Haitian Kids

2010-02-24T18:24:00.001-05:00

February 23, 2010

When I walked into the Huckleberry Cheesecake Daycare and Preschool Center on Friday, January 29, I was greeted by a little boy manning a shiny red cash register.

“How many cookies are you going to buy?” the child asked.

When I asked him why he was selling cookies, he said “Haiti.”

According to staff at the preschool, located in downtown Washington, D.C., the children had started talking about the earthquake in Haiti shortly after it happened.

Though the idea of a natural disaster was difficult for them to grasp, they were upset by the thought of kids without toys.

So the children, barely two feet tall, decided to host a bake sale. They told me that “the children in Haiti need everything from toys to toilets.”

I photographed 3-year-old Jackson, pictured at right, holding up some of the goodies for sale.

Parents who walked in to collect their children, ages three to five, were met by a giant sign that read:

“BAKE SALE, ALL PROCEEDS GO TO SAVE THE CHILDREN HAITI RELIEF.”

The sale included bagged goodies, and at $1 a bag, business was good. Pictured below is a very happy, three-year-old, Ellie, holding the cash at the bake sale table.

These preschoolers aren’t the only kids determined to help kids in Haiti. In fact, students of all ages across the country have created unique fundraisers that have benefited Save the Children’s Haitian relief efforts.

In Westport, Connecticut, more than 250 swimmers from Staples high school swim team, the Westport Swim Club and the Water Rat Swim Team swam three miles each to raise funds.

Their “Swim for Haiti” event garnered national media attention and resulted in a $45,000 donation to Save the Children.

Then there was third-grader Emma Tennaro from West Middle Island Elementary School in New York. Emma hosted a pancake breakfast at Ruby Tuesday’s attended by 50 hungry people.

Save the Children’s Elle Russell, manager of school and community organizations, tells me that children and adults of all ages at schools and community groups have raised about $300,000 for Haiti relief.

There are so many ways to get involved with Save the Children’s Haiti relief efforts!

Save the Children Provides Songs with Lifesaving Health and Nutrition Advice to Haitian Radio Stations

2010-02-16T22:00:00.001-05:00

Creole Songs with Tips on Breastfeeding and Basic Hygiene To Help Save Babies' Lives During Upcoming Rainy Season

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Feb. 16, 2010) — In anticipation of the dangers threatened by the upcoming rainy season in Haiti, after the devastating earthquake in January, Save the Children is providing broadcast-quality songs in Creole, along with public service messages, to radio stations to spread lifesaving health and nutrition advice.

The songs provide Haitian mothers with simple tips and hints about breastfeeding, feeding and hand washing to enable them to better protect their newborn babies and children against preventable diseases and malnutrition.

"The rainy season is approaching in Haiti. And we know that stagnant water and poor sanitation provide a fertile breeding ground for malaria and diarrhea, which are among the biggest killers of babies and young children," said Kathryn Bolles, Save the Children's director of emergency health and nutrition. "These diseases are easily preventable and treatable. So it is crucial for people in the camps to have access to accurate information in their language so they have the tools to protect their children.

Radio Project Co-Produced Before the Earthquake

The project, a collaboration with the Ministry of Health and with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development, produced Creole songs and public service announcements before the earthquake, working with local communities and children. The songs will be aired on local radio stations and Creole services provided by international broadcasters.

"Few people have television or electricity, but they are accessing information by radio. Plus, music is natural entry point," said Bolles. "When people hear a song they like, they are likely to remember the tune and the message. This is an effective way to better save the life of newborns and babies. Action taken today could save a baby's life tomorrow."

Listen to Creole songs and public service announcements here.

Rainy Season Poses Increased Threats from Waterborne Diseases

The rainy season, which begins mid-to-late March, increases the threat of waterborne disease and of disease-spreading mosquitoes, especially in the crowded camps that have sprung up throughout Haiti's capital city since the recent quakes. Save the Children's mobile clinics and medical teams are already seeing cases of diarrhea, malaria and respiratory infections.

The organization's staff is monitoring illnesses in camps, assessing the status of pregnant women and vulnerable children, and pre-positioning specific medications and supplies in preparation for a possible spike in disease when the rains come. About 170 health workers -- including midwives and auxiliary nurses -- are working with communities to encourage exclusive breastfeeding and to provide hygiene, nutrition and other health information.

Save the Children also is working hard to improve sanitation and bring clean water to families in temporary encampments. It has recently scaled up the distribution of shelter items, with a plan to reach 70,000 families over the coming weeks. About 12,000 displaced children and adults now have access to latrines, water points and bathing areas installed by Save the Children.

To complement the health programs and as part of its ongoing livelihoods work, Save the Children is hiring laborers to help clear or dig drainage ditches in and near camps where it works.

Save the Children has been assisting children and families in Haiti for more than three decades. With about 350 staff on the ground in Haiti, the agency has reached nearly half a million people affected by the recent earthquakes.

One Month After Major Quake, Save the Children Reports Ongoing Crises for Haitian Children

2010-02-09T21:20:00.001-05:00

Save the Children Is Providing Food, Water and Essentials to About 300,000 Children and Families

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Feb. 9, 2010) — One month after Haiti experienced the worst natural disaster in its history, Save the Children has reached nearly 300,000 children and adults in the earthquake impact zone.

Since the early hours after the disaster, the international humanitarian agency has been providing emergency assistance to save lives, alleviate suffering and support the recovery and protection of Haitian children and families.

"The majority of Haitian children were vulnerable before this disaster and now, a month after the earthquake, their health, well-being and future are at increased risk. Their families are caught up in a daily struggle to meet basic needs and rebuild their lives," said Lee Nelson, Save the Children's country director in Haiti.

"We are moving quickly to provide immediate aid to thousands of families, including providing food, water, household items, medicines and medical care, while we also implement programs to protect children and get them back to school as soon as possible."

An Estimated 1.5 Million Children Affected by Earthquake

The January 12 earthquake affected 3 million people, more than half of them children. The extensive damage wrought by the 7-magnitude quake forced families into the street and into temporary encampments with little but the clothes on their backs. Today, living among the rubble, they struggle to meet their shelter, health, nutrition and other day-to-day needs as they begin to regain their livelihoods and reconstruct their homes.

"This is a wide-scale disaster that affected all aspects of society, and it will take years to for Haiti's families and cities to recover," said Annie Foster, Save the Children's team leader for the emergency. "Haitians are very resilient, but it is going to take serious and sustained assistance to help them build back and ensure a better future for their children."

Adding urgency to the relief effort, the rainy season is expected to begin in mid-March or early April. Even under normal circumstances, poor drainage and sanitation infrastructure causes problems for the population. This is expected to be significantly exacerbated by displacement and clogging of drainage channels with rubble from the earthquake.

To date, Save the Children's child protection programs have benefitted more than 15,000 children through 18 mobile child-friendly spaces in Port-au-Prince and Jacmel. In conjunction with UNICEF, the International Rescue Committee and the Red Cross, the organization is registering children at hospitals and in camps so as to trace their families and reunite them with loved ones.

Save the Children's 14 mobile health teams have seen 10,630 patients at 45 locations in Port-au-Prince, Leogane and Jacmel. In addition, the organization has distributed food to more than 120,000 people, including 72,000 children. The agency also has provided clean water to more than 59,000 people; latrines for 7,800 people; and essential items such as blankets, hygiene kits, and plastic sheeting to some 48,000 people.

Save the Children, which has worked in Haiti since 1978 and currently has more than 300 staff in the country, plans to reach 800,000 people, including 470,000 children, through its emergency response. At the same time, the agency is continuing to support children through education, nutrition and other programs, where possible.

Statement on Haiti Debt Cancellation by Group of Seven Countries

2010-02-09T21:19:00.000-05:00

WESTPORT, Conn., (Feb. 9, 2010) — Save the Children applauds the Group of Seven countries (G7) for the decision to cancel bilateral debts with Haiti. This will allow Haiti's government to concentrate its scarce resources on the urgently needed reconstruction of the country.

Other nations owed money by Haiti bilaterally should also move to forgive these debts.

Save the Children also encourages G7 countries to work vigorously with the multilateral institutions that still hold Haitian debt, such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

We understand these organizations are working to cancel Haiti's debts, and we hope that the G7 and other nations support their efforts in this direction.

Haiti faces many challenges, and new debt should not be one of them. All post-earthquake assistance to Haiti should be in the form of grants, rather than through the standard practice of issuing new loans to the Haitian government.

In New York in April, governments attending an international donors conference for Haiti will have the opportunity to enable a hopeful future for a devastated nation. Save the Children urges donor governments to make the kind of robust long-term commitments needed to build a better future for Haitian children and the nation as a whole.

Save the Children President Charles MacCormack Urges Congress to Strengthen Haiti’s Capacity to “Build Back Better”

2010-02-05T19:10:00.003-05:00

WESTPORT, Conn. (Feb. 4, 2010) — In his testimony today before a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee, Save the Children President Charles MacCormack urged Congress to help ensure a brighter future for Haiti and its children by strengthening the capacity of its government, citizens and private sector. He noted that well-coordinated collaboration between the Haitian government and civil society, the United Nations, the U.S. and other donors and nongovernmental organizations such as Save the Children was essential to addressing both the immediate and long-term development needs of the country.

MacCormack shared his observations from his two visits to Haiti since the magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck three weeks ago. "While the Haitian people are extremely resilient and have exhibited much patience, their challenge is daunting," said CharlesMacCormack. "It will take a collective effort today to give the children and families of Haiti a better tomorrow."

In his testimony, MacCormack said that it will take 10 years and a substantial investment to rebuild the country, and will require a coordinated and transparent response. To help the Haiti government redirect its funding into investments that would help in its recovery, MacCormack proposed that Congress expand Haiti's trade preferences to include additional exports, issue grants instead of loans to the Haitian government and support cancelling Haiti's nearly $1 billion international debt.

"Future funds must go to providing children and families access to health services, education and economic opportunities," said McCormack. "This is a long-term disaster and the U.S. must commit for the long-haul. Sustaining significant investment over the next 10 years will be critical to ensuring the well-being of children and their families."

MacCormack applauded President Obama's appointment of USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah to oversee the coordination of the U.S. humanitarian response to the Haiti earthquake but urged that this role be expanded to include the long-term development needs of the country.

"The U.S., with non-governmental organizations and donors, should intensify its commitment to building the capacity and systems of the Haitian government and Haitian civil society to lead and manage their own development," said MacCormack. "We must support Haitians in building back better for the children of Haiti."

Drawing on lessons learned from Save the Children's response to the 2004 Asian tsunami, MacCormack noted that putting Haitians at the center of their own development and recognizing the critical role of women and youth in the decision-making process would be essential for Haiti's recovery.

On-the-ground in Haiti for over 25 years, Save the Children launched one of its largest disaster responses ever. Save the Children has reached more than 170,000 children and adults, providing lifesaving food, medicines and supplies. In addition, the organization is working to protect vulnerable children, providing spaces to play and helping trace unaccompanied children and reunite them with their families.

Save the Children Supplies 30,000 Haitian Children and Families with Rice at Sites in Marissant and Tabarre, Will Continue for Two Weeks

2010-02-03T13:50:00.000-05:00

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Feb. 3, 2010) —The global humanitarian organization Save the Children, in partnership with the World Food Program (WFP), successfully distributed critically needed food supplies over the past two days in Marissant and Tabarre to about 30,000 people. The agency will continue to distribute rice at both sites for the next two weeks, reaching an estimated 285,000 children and adults.

"Our partnership with community leaders at these displaced camps was the key to helping us get food aid out over the past two days. We couldn't have done it without their support," said Hussein Halane, Save the Children's emergency team leader in Haiti.

He cautioned, "So many children and families have gone now 3 weeks with barely any steady food supply. We met a pregnant mother who told us that since the earthquake, her children had only been eating one meal a day, without vegetables or meat."

Assessing Damaged Schools, Teachers and Students Remaining in Earthquake-affected Communities

Glimmers of hope were felt Monday when some schools in the non-affected quake areas opened. In the most affected areas, Save the Children and partner organizations, including the Ministry of Education, will soon begin a needs assessment in an effort to get exact figures on the number of schools that have been destroyed or partially damaged, and to determine the number of teachers and children remaining in the communities.

The total number of teachers and children killed in the quake is unknown, and still others have migrated to rural areas outside of Port-au-Prince. Some of the least damaged schools in the earthquake-affected zones could re-start as early as March 2010, according to the government of Haiti.

"It is so important for schools to get up and running as quickly as possible," said Halane."Before the earthquake, there were already more than 700,000 children out of school. This number is set to increase as many schools have been damaged, and teachers killed or injured."

Added Halane, "We have the opportunity now to try to get all of these children back to school, including the most vulnerable children, and address the long-term educational needs of Haitian children."

Providing for Children's Critical Health Needs

To address urgent medical needs, Save the Children is responsible for providing health services in 36 camps and locations. About 6,000 patients were treated in Save the Children supported health facilities and by 12 mobile medical teams.

The organization has also established two mobile clinics in Leogane – one of the hardest-hit towns – and is expected to set up an additional four mobile health teams in Jacmel, where Save the Children continues its work to feed malnourished children.

The aid agency is also distributing hygiene and household supplies, such as soap, towels, cans to hold water, and plastic sheeting for shelter.

Save the Children has worked in Haiti since 1978 and currently has more than 200 staff in the country.

Save the Children Praises Obama Administration's Budget Request for Foreign Assistance

2010-02-02T14:44:00.001-05:00

WASHINGTON, DC (Feb. 2, 2010) — Save the Children commends President Obama on his proposed fiscal year 2011 budget submission that significantly increases the U.S. Government's investment in maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition.

"The President's budget request, coupled with release of his Global Health Initiative consultation document, marks a very good day for everyone working to prevent the needless deaths of millions of women and children in the developing world," said Charles MacCormack, president and CEO of Save the Children.

"The emergency in Haiti presents the world community with a huge challenge, but we must not forget that worldwide we lose almost 25,000 children each day, and we can prevent this tragedy."

Last year, worldwide, almost 9 million children, and 530,000 women, died of largely preventable or treatable causes. The United States, in partnership with other donors and governments in developing countries, can dramatically reduce these deaths by supporting the rapid scaling-up of proven, low-cost interventions and by building the capacity to sustain the delivery of these lifesaving programs.

The President's Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative, focusing on reducing malnutrition for millions of children under 5 by 2015, and the Global Health Initiative, are a clear demonstration of U.S. leadership in advancing these objectives. These initiatives reflect strong investment and sound principles emphasizing developing country-ownership, strategic coordination among donors and U.S. agencies and mechanisms for ensuring improved accountability.

"We strongly support the President's proposed overall increase in the international affairs budget despite the tough economic environment and strongly encourage the Congress to support the Administration's request for the funding needed to accelerate the global effort to alleviate poverty, fight disease and create economic opportunity," said MacCormack. "Funding for such programs is both an investment in our national security and our common humanity."

"We commend especially the President's commitment to fighting child hunger around the world, and the Administration's recognition that robust investments in simple, cost-effective solutions can dramatically reduce childhood deaths. We urge continued prioritization of initiatives to reduce poverty, strengthen global health and food security initiatives, and provide humanitarian relief to better support children in need in Haiti and worldwide."

Save the Children looks forward to further consultations with the Administration on the details of its two initiatives.

Statement on Child Protection in Haiti

2010-01-31T21:36:00.002-05:00

WESTPORT, Conn. (Jan. 31, 2010) — Save the Children is working quickly to uncover and gather information about 33 children reportedly stopped at the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic with members of an American organization attempting to take them out of the country illegally.

Save the Children is coordinating with government officials and colleagues at the United Nations to ensure the very best interests of these children are protected.

Thousands if not hundreds of thousands of children may be separated from their parents and families by the earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, due to death, injury or the sheer chaos created by the disaster.

These children are at acute risk of trafficking, sexual exploitation and serious emotional distress. Save the Children is working with the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Haitian government to assess the status and needs of these children so that they can be reunited with their families.

Calls for Moratorium on New Adoptions from Haiti

Save the Children is calling for a moratorium on any new adoptions of children affected by the earthquake to ensure every child has been given the best possible chance of being reunited with their family. This moratorium does not apply to children in Haiti already in the adoption process.

Read Save the Children's Statement on Adoption in Haiti.

For those children who have indeed lost both parents, it is almost always in their best interests to remain with their relatives and extended families. UN guidelines recommend at least two years are spent tracing lost families before adoption should be considered.

According to Deb Barry, a child protection expert at Save the Children who is responding to the crisis in Haiti, "The instinct to swoop in and rescue children may be a natural impulse, but it cannot be the solution for the tens of thousands of children left vulnerable by the Haiti earthquake."

She cautioned, "Although it is unclear at the moment how many children have been separated from their families, the possibility of a child being mistakenly labelled an orphan in the chaotic aftermath of the disaster is incredibly high."

She added, "No matter how horrific the situation looks in Haiti to concerned observers, the full process of reuniting children with parents and relatives must be completed."

Save the Children is working in Haiti to protect vulnerable children, providing safe places for them to play in the temporary camps. The organization is also working with the United Nations to run temporary care centers providing food, shelter and support for separated children while every effort is being made to trace their parents and relatives.

Save the Children to Distribute Food Rations to 200,000 Children and Families in Haiti in Partnership with World Food Program

2010-01-30T22:55:00.003-05:00

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Jan. 29, 2010) — Save the Children will partner with the World Food Program (WFP) to distribute critically needed food supplies to about 200,000 children and families in Haiti affected by the catastrophic earthquake over two weeks ago.

Beginning this Sunday, Save the Children will provide family food rations – enough to feed a family for two weeks – to about 33,000 families (equivalent to 200,000 people) with special attention to women.

Food distribution in Haiti. Photo credit: Colin Crowley.

"Two weeks after the disaster, many families are still without a stable food supply," warned Annie Foster, Save the Children's emergency team leader in Haiti. "Rapid food distribution must begin immediately to save the most vulnerable, especially children."

"Children are the first ones to suffer," said Foster. "While some local markets have reopened, there are only small supplies of food and the prices have risen dramatically."

Save the Children is one of several aid agencies who will assist in a two-week WFP distribution program in and around the city of Port-au-Prince.

U.S. Military to Provide Security During Food Distribution, World Food Program to Transport Food to Sites

The US military will provide security during the food distribution and ensure the boundaries of site areas are properly arranged prior to distribution. WFP is responsible for the secure transportation of the food to the distribution site areas.

"Haitian people keep hearing that food is coming," said Foster. "But many of them have not seen any. They are becoming increasingly impatient.

One of the measures Save the Children took to prevent possible incidents is to get the community involved in the process, so they understand how this distribution will take place."

Several Additional Partners to Help Manage Distribution Sites

Save the Children is working closely with World Vision, Catholic Relief Services and Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) to manage the multiple WFP distribution sites.

Since the earthquake, Save the Children's health teams have reached more than 85,000 people with medical treatment. The aid agency is also distributing hygiene and household supplies such as soap, towels, cans to hold water, and plastic sheeting for shelter.

Save the Children has worked in Haiti since 1978 and currently has about 250 staff in the country.

Kids’ Art Contest Winners Honored at School Event, Valentine's Day Cards Available to Order Now

2010-01-28T00:43:00.003-05:00

Julianne Moore, Cokie Roberts, Randi Weingarten and Kids from across New York City Honor Contest Winners for Their Valentine's Day Card Designs

NEW YORK (Jan.28, 2009) — Today, five child winners of Save the Children's art contest were honored by 20 students from across New York, along with actor and Save the Children Artist Ambassador Julianne Moore, Save the Children Board Vice Chair Cokie Roberts and Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, which partnered with Save the Children for the art contest.

The five winners and their artwork are being showcased at a luncheon event at the Harriet Tubman School in Harlem.The artists are appearing today on NBC's Today Show, along with Julianne Moore.

The winning artists represent a diverse range of ages and geography: Emily S., age 7, of southeastern Kentucky; Angel R, age 10, of southeastern Kentucky; Raphaelle B., age 12, of southeastern Texas; Tina D., age 15, of Honolulu, Hawaii; and Stella S., age 17, of western Washington.

The five pieces of artwork were designed and chosen by kids through a children's Valentine's Day card contest and learning project. Students in pre-K through 12th grade submitted art for the cards through their schools and then voted online for their favorites in five age categories. The voting to select the winning designs took place in December. The cards will benefit Save the Children's early childhood, literacy, nutrition and fitness programs in the U.S.

The Valentine's Day Art project, which is spearheaded by Moore, is a part of a larger effort to raise awareness among kids about the child poverty crisis and empower them to end it. In the U.S. today, an estimated one in six children lives in poverty.

"There are no better or more credible advocates for kids than kids themselves," said Moore.

"This was a great contest," said Cokie Roberts, Vice Chair of Save the Children. "These kids not only produced fantastic art, they also became advocates for other kids—the one in 6 kids living in this country who are poor."

Two Weeks After Haiti Quake, Save the Children Helps More Than 105,000 Children and Families with Food, Medicines, Basic Supplies

2010-01-27T14:23:00.002-05:00

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Jan. 27, 2010) — Two weeks after a devastating magnitude-7.0 earthquake rocked Haiti, the global humanitarian organization Save the Children has reached more than 105,000 children and adults, providing lifesaving food, medicines and supplies. In addition, the organization is working to protect vulnerable children, providing spaces to play and helping trace unaccompanied children and reunite them with their families.

"It took less than 40 seconds for lives of tens of thousands of Haitian children to change completely. They lost friends, family and teachers, saw their homes and neighborhoods destroyed, and watched their family's livelihood disappear in this devastating quake," said Lee Nelson, Save the Children's country director in Haiti.

"Save the Children is rushing to meet the immediate lifesaving needs of these children and their families by distributing food, water, hygiene and household supplies, and by erecting latrines and bathing facilities. And, given the enormity of this disaster, we will be assisting Haitian families with their recovery for months and years to come."

Save the Children staff in Port-au-Prince, Léogâne and Jacmel are ramping up efforts to meet the health, protection and educational needs of thousands of children displaced from their homes and living in makeshift camps. It is distributing hygiene kits, household kits, plastic sheeting, blankets, food and water. Save the Children's water and sanitation programs are providing clean water, latrines and bathing facilities for 2,200 people in the encampments at Lakou Issa and Theatre National camps in Port-au-Prince. The agency has distributed 2-week rations of food to 600 families in Léogâne, where it also provided blankets, plastic sheeting and cans of water. And two mobile clinics are treating the sick and injured in Jacmel and Léogâne.

More than 8,000 children have participated in activities at 16 Child Friendly Spaces, which are special protected areas established by Save the Children in Jacmel and Port-au-Prince. 25 additional staff members have been trained to help run three more spaces. Save the Children plans to open 150 safe spaces over the next coming weeks

"Despite the challenges presented by the scale of this disaster and its impact on the capital city, we are reaching more children and families every day," said Annie Foster, Save the Children's team leader in Haiti.

"The Haitian people are very resilient and communities are supporting each other, but they cannot do it alone. Save the Children is focusing its efforts across a variety of critical areas — food, clean water, health, protection and education — and working in partnership with local communities, the government and other agencies. New supply trucks and planes are arriving with increasing regularity. As logistical challenges decrease, we will work together to provide both immediate assistance and ongoing support so that Haiti can recover and rebuild."

Save the Children has worked in Haiti since 1978 and currently has about 250 staff in the country. All staff has been accounted for, with one staff member reported to have died in the earthquake.

Save the Children Featured in BBC World "Invisible Lives" Documentary

2010-01-25T21:45:00.000-05:00

Save the Children's Newborn Health Expert, Dr. Joy Lawn, Examines How Nepal and Malawi Make Gains in Saving Newborn Lives; Film Airing on January 26-29

WESTPORT, Conn.(Jan.25, 2010) — Many of the nearly 4 million newborn deaths that occur worldwide each year could be prevented with simple, cost-effective solutions, according to Invisible Lives, a documentary scheduled to air across the globe on January 26 at 20:30 GMT on BBC World.

Dr. Joy Lawn, a newborn health expert with Save the Children, travels to Nepal and Malawi to examine how these two countries, although worlds apart, are making progress in saving newborn lives.
The documentary explores how these low-income countries are among the few on track to meet the United Nation's Millennium Development Goal of reducing deaths of children under five by two-thirds by 2015, despite myriad obstacles.

Dr. Joy E. Lawn of Save the Children's Saving Newborn Lives program.

"Invisible Lives is both a celebration of progress against the odds and a call for urgent action to save more lives," says Lawn. "We have solutions, and these countries prove that faster progress is possible. The time is now to ensure every baby and mother has the chance to survive and thrive."
More than two-thirds of newborn deaths take place in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, often in the first days of life. Most die without a name, let alone a birth certificate.
The risk of newborn death in Malawi and Nepal is 33 per 1,000 births; whereas the same risk in Europe and North America is around 3 per 1,000 births.
"While the numbers are daunting, Malawi and Nepal demonstrate major life-saving progress is being made," says Charles MacCormack, president and CEO of Save the Children. "These countries are shining examples of what can be accomplished when governments, United Nations agencies, donors and non-governmental organizations work together to support health systems in low-income countries."
Malawi and Nepal Preventing Newborn Deaths
Despite the common problems of poverty, disease, political upheaval and a lack of resources, Nepal and Malawi have each managed to address the three main causes of newborn deaths—complications from preterm birth, infection and birth distress—with different approaches within their means. Although both countries use a range of community and facility-based strategies to improve newborn health, Malawi focuses on increasing facility/hospital births, while Nepal emphasizes family care and behavior change in communities.
Both strategies are working. Malawi is one of only two low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Nepal is one of only two in South Asia on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal for child survival. Learn more about the Millennium goals and our campaign to save the lives of children under 5.
"Nepal and Malawi provide hope and practical examples of action," says Lawn. "Both countries have invested in the care of newborns and their mothers at the critical time of birth and the first few days of life. Today, a baby's chances of surviving in either country are better than ever before."
In Malawi, a country with the lowest population of physicians in the world, Lawn visits a hospital and meets a mother named Stella. Stella's baby was born three months early and weighed less than two pounds. Yet, her baby is going home alive because of Kangaroo Mother Care.
This simple, universal and biologically sound method of care for all newborns, especially premature babies, requires that mothers like Stella carry their small babies against their chest all day, promoting feeding, warmth, and bonding. Mothers serve as natural heaters for their babies when no incubator or electricity is available. Kangaroo Mother Care could potentially halve the one million newborn deaths due to prematurity on a worldwide level.
Most women in Malawi, around 60 percent, give birth at hospitals rather than at home, which allows them to receive the proper care they and their babies need.
"The government is building more health centers which are well equipped. We have also scaled up the training of midwives," says Professor Moses Charambo, Minister of Health in Malawi.
By contrast, over 80 percent of births take place at home in Nepal. "It is difficult to bring newborns to the health facilities because of access, because of tradition and because of taboos. So we must provide health services close to home," says Dr. Y.V. Pradhan, director, Child Health Division with Nepal's Ministry of Health.
In Nepal, Lawn meets Bhagwhati, a volunteer community health worker, and one of many health workers playing an important role in helping the country reduce the number of child deaths by 61 percent over the past decade. Although volunteers like Bhagwhati are not medically qualified, they have been trained to recognize dangerous signs in childbirth, such as infection, which is the leading cause of newborn deaths in Nepal. They also advise mothers to go to the nearest health post if the baby gets ill.
Affordable Health Care Saves Newborn Lives
At least two-thirds of newborn deaths could be prevented in low-income countries if mothers and babies had a package of affordable lifesaving care, according to Lawn. These include skilled attendance at childbirth; simple newborn care including breastfeeding, warmth and a breathing apparatus, if needed; Kangaroo Mother Care for preterm babies; and antibiotics to fight infections. As shown in the documentary, community health workers can provide several of these interventions.
"The health care solutions for maternal and newborn health are well-known, proven and cost-effective," says Lawn. "They work, and they are affordable. With greater investment and a global commitment, we would save millions of children's lives."
Save the Children Calls on International Community to Act
The Newborn, Child, and Mother Survival Act of 2009 introduced in the U.S. Congress would provide millions more mothers with proven interventions. The legislation calls for developing an integrated strategy for reducing child and maternal mortality in 60 developing countries, setting up a task force to make sure every dollar spent goes where it's needed most and authorizing funding for maternal and child health programs. Current U.S. spending on maternal and child health is just $549 million a year.
U.S. government commitments to maternal and child health programs should significantly increase, according to Save the Children. It has also called on the international community as a whole to support the delivery of proven interventions.
The documentary, Invisible Lives, will air on BBC World: Jan.26, 20:30 GMT; Jan.27, 11:30 GMT (Asia Pacific only); Jan. 28, 15:30 GMT; Jan.29, 02:30 GMT

Save the Children Launches Radio Outreach Program in Haiti to Promote Newborn, Infant Health

2010-01-25T14:14:00.001-05:00

Save the Children Launches Radio Outreach Program in Haiti to Promote Newborn, Infant Health

Local Broadcasts in Creole Urge New Mothers to Nourish Infants Through Breast Milk; Cautions Against Baby Formula Made with Dirty Water
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Jan. 25, 2010) — The global humanitarian organization Save the Children is supporting efforts to promote breastfeeding among new mothers in Haiti to ensure the protection of the youngest and most vulnerable survivors of the devastating January 12 earthquake.
The agency has translated internationally recognized public health messages into Creole, which are currently being broadcast on local radio stations.
Critical Awareness Campaign Available to Health-focused Groups in Haiti
Save the Children is making these critical communications available to other health-focused groups that are also working with local communities affected by the disaster. Its health staff in Haiti will translate other public health messages over the coming days and coordinate with partners and communities to spread the word about keeping children healthy in the wake of the quake.
Save the Children also is training midwives, health workers and nutritional educators to reach out to pregnant and new mothers at makeshift camps in Port-au-Prince, Léogâne and Jacmel.

Save the Children's Kathryn Bowles counsels a mother on breastfeeding in a makeshift camp in Leogane, Haiti. Photo credit: Adriana Zehbrauskas/ Polaris.
"Newborns and infants are very vulnerable during emergencies, especially from diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition. But mothers can take simple steps to protect their baby's health through exclusive and proper breastfeeding," said Kathryn Bolles, Save the Children's emergency health and nutrition director. "Breast milk provides essential nutrients and strengthens a baby's immunity, protecting the baby from other illnesses."
Health Risks from Infant Formulas and Other Supplements
The health messages encourage mothers to exclusively breastfeed babies under 6 months of age, and to continue to breastfeed children until age 2.
Mothers are cautioned against giving babies under 6 months of age anything but breast milk — including water, infant formula, powdered milk or solid food — because of the risks from diarrhea, one of the leading killers of children globally, and because of the risk of becoming malnourished, which leaves babies more susceptible to other illnesses.
"Mothers may not be aware of the threats that infant formula and other supplements pose to their babies. Tainted water used to mix the formula and unsanitary bottles or cups can cause a baby to get sick with diarrhea, which can kill," said Bolles. "We hope more Haitian mothers will hear our health messages and be encouraged to breastfeed their babies. We also are suggesting mothers seek out support and counseling from organizations like Save the Children if they are having difficulty breastfeeding their baby."
The awareness campaign also seeks to dispel the myths that may discourage mothers from breastfeeding, among them stress or lack of proper food will cause a mother to produce bad milk or no milk. Instead, mothers are encouraged to breastfeed more often, which will allow them to produce more milk for their baby.
Extremely Poor Survival Rates for Haitian Children Prior to Earthquake
Even before the earthquake, survival rates for young Haitian children were the worst in the Western Hemisphere, with nearly 1 in 10 children dying before the age of 5 from preventable and treatable causes like diarrhea and pneumonia.
Save the Children supports the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations that children should be breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life to ensure their most favorable growth and health. WHO, UNAIDS and UNICEF guidelines only recommend "replacement feeding" (breastmilk substitute) when it is "acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable, and safe."
Save the Children has worked in Haiti since 1978 and currently has more than 200 staff in the country.

Save the Children Reports from Haiti: Mobile Health Teams and Multiple Clinics Set Up to Prevent Disease Outbreaks

2010-01-24T16:46:00.001-05:00

Medical and Nutrition Teams Treating Hundreds of Cases Daily in Hard-hit Areas of Leogane, Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, and Petit Guave
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Jan. 23, 2010) — Eleven days after the 7.0 earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, Save the Children reports that health needs have become urgent in the makeshift camps where families have gathered, especially for children.
Many of the injured have yet to receive care from the understaffed hospitals, and unsanitary conditions in the camps are likely to lead to a widespread outbreak of disease.

Save the Children has established two mobile clinics in Leogane – one of the hardest hit towns – where 90 percent of all buildings are damaged. The clinics are treating 100 people a day; the most common injuries are broken bones, cuts and lacerations.

“Even after eleven days people are still coming in for injuries from the earthquake. In the tropical heat there is growing concern about infections," said Annie Foster, Save the Children’s emergency response team leader in Haiti.

She added, "We have to treat the children and their families in the outlying areas that cannot get to hospitals. We need to do this urgently to prevent further suffering and illness.”

Save the Children is setting up an additional four mobile health teams in Jacmel, where the agency continues with their work to feed malnourished children. The agency has mobilized its networks of nutrition providers and vaccinators to reach out to communities, check on pregnant woman and new mothers, encourage breastfeeding and assist with childbirth.

“Outside Port-au-Prince, in Jacmel, Leogane and Petit Guave, needs are very acute. We are establishing bases there to be able to meet these needs. We will be setting up more mobile clinics, distributing supplies and establishing Child Friendly Spaces,” said Foster.

“We have to double our efforts now to ensure that there are not outbreaks of disease in the camps set up after the quake. We need to ensure clean water and sanitation to prevent this and access to medicine to treat this. The youngest children are the most vulnerable to diseases such as diarrhea,” Foster said.

Hope For Haiti now

2010-01-23T21:47:00.000-05:00

earthquake relief in Haiti was the reason for and inspiration behind "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief," there's no question that it featured some amazing, one-of-a-kind musical performances.

The songs chosen by most of the artists had a thematic connection to the occasion, and the soaring lyrics delivered by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Bligeand Justin Timberlake underlined the hope for the country that's coming from around the world. The songs' unplugged, often gentle renditions underscored the seriousness of the situation.

George Clooney helped organize the event, and his hope is that the songs carry the event beyond the evening and into the following weeks, months and years. "We're gonna have some amazing performances, and I think that's gonna make it last a little longer than just a telethon," he said earlier this week.

Indeed it will: customers can exclusively pre-order the "Hope for Haiti Now" full-performance album ($7.99) and the full two-hour video telecast ($1.99). Pre-orders will be delivered in the days following the telethon. Individual audio performances will also be available for purchase and download for 99 cents each in the days following the telethon.

Expert Child Protection Teams from Save the Children Travel Across Haiti’s Earthquake Zone to Ensure Safety of Children

2010-01-23T15:49:00.000-05:00

Agency Staff On the Ground Reaching More than 85,000 People with Mobile Health Units and Medical Supplies

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Jan.23, 2010) — Save the Children child protection teams are visiting camps, shelters, and communities across Haiti's earthquake zone to ensure the safety of children and to help unaccompanied children be reunited with relatives whenever possible.

"Children are particularly vulnerable right now and we must do everything possible to ensure their safety and well-being, especially when they may have lost or been separated from relatives who were caring for them," said Annie Foster, Save the Children's emergency response team leader in Haiti.

"Save the Children is giving children in camps and shelters safe places to play and get support in recovering from the hardships they've experienced. At the same time, we're actively setting up systems to locate and reunite unaccompanied children with family members."

Save the Children has already established six Child Spaces at camps and shelters in Port-au-Prince and Jacmel and will open more in the days to come.

To Reunite Children with Relatives, Child Protection Specialists Work with Community Leaders and Haitian Government

About 50 trained social workers, staff and affiliated personnel trained by Save the Children are now identifying locations where unaccompanied children have taken refuge. These child protection specialists are working with community leaders to ensure the safety of the children during the family reunification process. Save the Children is working with the Haitian government and others to establish a wide-reaching system to identify separated children and reunite them with family members.

There are great opportunities to reunite children with loving relatives in the days to come. Many children were not with their families at the time the earthquake struck because they were in school or pursuing work or other activities. Others may have become separated from parents now receiving medical attention in a different area.

Some children are left temporarily unaccompanied while parents search for food and work. Save the Children is committed to identifying these children and protecting their safety, while working to reunite Haitian families.

Save the Children also has reached more than 85,000 people through mobile health teams and distribution of medical supplies, and the agency is distributing hygiene and household supplies such as soap, towels, Jerry cans to hold water, and plastic sheeting for shelter needs.

Save the Children has worked in Haiti since 1978 and currently has more than 200 staff in the country.

Save the Children President and CEO Talks with 'The Chronicle of Philanthropy' about Haiti Relief

2010-01-22T19:50:00.000-05:00

after a devastating earthquake hit the capital of Haiti – a country already in the throes of consistent upheaval – employees of Save the Children, which has a permanent operation in Haiti, began administering care and supplies to the quake victims. Throughout the week, Save the Children sent additional staff from its outposts around the world.

On Sunday, January 17, Save the Children President and CEO Charles MacCormack flew down to Haiti to survey the conditions in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding camps. A few days later, he sat down with The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the newspaper of record for the nonprofit community, to talk about the earthquake relief and the rebuilding of Haiti. The following is excerpted from that article, which can be read in full here.

What are the most pressing needs in Haiti right now?

The immediate needs remain water, food, medicines, and sanitation. But in order to provide that, the needs are fuel and cash.

There have been reports of planes full of supplies not being able to land, and of aid trucks not getting to those who need it. Will there be more deaths in the days and weeks ahead because of the slow pace of aid?

Every day is better than the day before. You've got a situation where, for all practical purposes, you have got 2 to 3 million people impacted and displaced and in need, and you've got one runway to get everything in. And you've got a road to Santo Domingo, which is not adequate to moving large vehicles over extended periods of time. That fact is obviously creating a bottleneck and that bottleneck has got to be widened.

There's been a lot of talk about building Haiti "back better." What would that look like?

Number one, there need to be jobs. As long as you have 70 or 80 percent of the country unemployed, there can never be stability.

More immediately, there is going to be three or four years of reconstruction that’s going to have to be done. Construction of schools, clinics, hospitals, government, housing. We should look to relatively labor-intensive ways of doing that so Haitian people can do the work.

U.S. House of Representatives Unanimously Approves Bill Allowing Taxpayers to Claim 2009 Charitable Deduction for Haiti Relief

2010-01-22T19:47:00.000-05:00

Awaiting Action by U.S. Senate to Encourage Support for Humanitarian Relief Groups

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 21, 2010) — The House of Representatives has unanimouly passed H.R. 4462 on January 20— legislation that allows individuals who make charitable contributions to victims of last week's earthquake in Haiti to claim an itemized deduction on their 2009 tax return instead of waiting until 2010.

The bipartisan bill, introduced by the House Ways and Means Committee, also includes a provision permitting those who text messaged a donation to use their cellular phone bill as a proof of donation.

"We all witnessed the horrendous event that took place in our hemisphere last week and have united in a bipartisan way to do what we can to ease the pain of those who are suffering in Haiti," said Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), the chairman of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, in a statement. "We developed this legislation to make it easier, and encourage people, to donate to the relief efforts in Haiti."

Congress enacted this type of relief in January 2005 for individuals that made charitable contributions to victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami that occurred in late December of 2004. That bill (H.R. 241 in the 109th Congress) passed the House of Representatives without objection and subsequently passed the Senate by unanimous consent.

Save the Children urges all organizations working to provide relief in Haiti to pass this news on to their donors.