UNICEF HK raised over HK$850,000 for affected children by Philippines Typhoon Haiyan
2013-11-13
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MANILA/ NEW YORK/ GENEVA/ HONG KONG, 13 November 2013 —Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF HK) announced that they have raised over HK850,000 as of today’s afternoon. In addition to the HK$1 million allocated from its emergency fund on 11 November, over HK$1.85 million is allocated to aid the 4.4 million children of the Philippines affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
UNICEF appeals for HK$267 million globally to help children and their families recover in coming 6 months. The appeal is especially pressing because many of the regions slammed by Typhoon Haiyan are reportedly without electricity, clean water, food and medicine.
“With every day that goes by, thousands of children are becoming weaker, and more vulnerable to disease,” said Tomoo Hozumi, UNICEF representative in the Philippines. |
 ©UNICEF/Philippines/2013/JMaitem |
 Photo courtesy of European Pressphoto Agency/ Jay Romel Laa |
Some supplies have already been delivered, including portable toilets to Tacloban. A truck hauling hygiene supplies (including soap, detergent and personal hygiene items), education materials and recreational materials is also making its way to the area.
An estimated 100,000 children under the age of five and 60,000 pregnant or nursing mothers were displaced by Haiyan. Interruptions in maternal and child feeding routines like eastfeeding, combined with damage to water and sanitation systems have put younger children at serious risk of malnutrition, especially in high-poverty areas where 2,000 families were already struggling to survive. |
An estimated 2.8 million preschool and school aged children may have been driven from their homes. In the hardest hit area, more than 3,000 schools and 2,400 day care centres appear to be affected.
Destruction of homes and schools during disasters, and the resulting mass displacement of communities and families, are known to leave children at risk of abuse and exploitation.
UNICEF response:
- UNICEF Philippines is currently moving 10,000 packs of water purification tablets, 3,000 hygiene kits and two water treatment units.
- UNICEF Copenhagen is sending over 20 generators to power water treatment plants. Over 1,200 water quality testing kits are also being sent, as well as collapsible water bladders. UNICEF is purchasing 10,000 water kits and 10,500 family water kits locally, as well as water tablets for 6.3 million litres of water.
- UNICEF hygiene specialists will provide technical advice on appropriate alternatives to toilets, and, safe solid and liquid waste disposal, and water surveillance in order to offset the advance of disease outeaks.
- UNICEF is rushing 30 emergency health kits, each one for a population of 1,000 people for three months. We are also sending folic acid and antibiotics for adults and children.
- UNICEF will set up therapeutic feeding centres to treat severe acute malnutrition of children. Ready to use therapeutic food (peanut paste) and 1.35 million sachets of micronutrient powder is also en route.
- UNICEF delivered 1,860 tarpaulins and 72 tents which may be used for schools and safe spaces, and is seeking funding to establish safe learning spaces so that children can get back to learning and parents can be reassured that their children are safe during the day. UNICEF will set up psychosocial recovery programmes which include training thousands of teachers and day care workers in how to use play and art work to help children overcome the trauma they have experienced.
- UNICEF is working with local authorities to identify and register children who may be separated from their families in displacement.
Donation for Philippines typhoon:
| Online donation: | www.unicef.org.hk/donate |
| Direct Bank-in: | HSBC: 567-354014-004 Bank of China: 12-875-1-0810855 Wing Lung Bank: 020-601-003-7635-2 Bank of East Asia: 015-260-81-01210-0 |
| Cheque: | Payable to ‘Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF’ (Please send us the cheque with filled donation form with remark ‘Philippines typhoon’ at the back, and send to ‘Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, 3/F, 60 Blue Pool Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong.’) |
| PPS: | Please use your contact number as the bill number. Press UNICEF merchant code: 6012, and then select bill type 3 “emergency”. |
| Hotline: | 2833 6139 |
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