EMERGENCIES

When armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) attacked the village and surrounding area where Prisca* lived, she was forced to flee, along with her mother and grandmother.

They walked for miles to a nearby camp, passing many dead bodies along the way, with just a small bag each and the clothes they were wearing.

Although Prisca* is pleased to be away from the fighting and the sound of gunshots, life in the camp is not easy. Prisca* sleeps on the floor with just a thin blanket for warmth, and she and her family have very little food to eat each day.

Prisca* is now part of a Save the Children programme which helps displaced children to return to school, providing them special lessons to catch up with the schooling they have missed. She also received a school uniform, some notebooks and pens from the charity.

When Masah* (1) came down with a fever and stopped breastfeeding, her mother Sarah* (25) brought her for treatment at a hospital in Gaza where Save the Children’s Emergency Health Unit is providing children and their families with access to life-saving healthcare services.

Sarah lives in an apartment with 27 other people in central Gaza. She was recently visiting her sister who lives in an informal camp in Al Mawasi, when Masah become sick. Sarah says:

“My family live in tents and they’re suffering from the hot weather. One of my sisters had hepatitis A. There’s a lack of water in the tents - both drinking and running water. Sand is everywhere regardless of how much we clean.

“During the winter there was a lack of mattresses, blankets and clothes. We were all suffering from illnesses like diarrhoea.

“During the first month and we were displaced, and my son suffered for a whole month from diarrhoea. He never used to scream, but now he screams over the smallest things. His voice is weak from screaming so much. Because we live with so many children, he just screams at them. There’s nothing normal around him. Everyone is screaming around him.

“Because I visited my family in the tents, both my children got sick because of the contamination around them.

“I went to the triage here (at the hospital where Save the Children provides services) and then we went to the doctor, and then the doctor gave us some medicine for my daughter. She has tonsilitis and the doctor gave us some medicine for lowering her temperature.

“The doctor was really welcoming, and I liked his manner. He was different from other doctors who aren’t now as welcoming.”

Sultana* is a seven-year-old girl and Rakib* is a 12-year-old boy. The siblings live with their 31-year-old mother, Mahbuba*, in one of the largest refugee camps in the world – Cox’s Bazar. In 2017, their father was killed during the unrest in Myanmar and, soon after, the children and their mother fled to Bangladesh in search of a safe place to live. The family used to live on land where vegetables were harvested easily. Now, as the sole provider for the family, their mother struggles to find enough food in the refugee camp for her children to eat.

This year, there have been food ration cuts two times already – from $12.00 USD to $10.00 USD and from $10.00 USD to $8.00 USD. These USD amounts are per person per month. The family used to be able to pay for fresh fish, however, they struggle to afford lentils nowadays. As a result, Mahbuba* prepares rice and salt for dinner most days and, often, she skips meals to ensure that Sultana* and Rakib* don’t go to bed hungry. There are whispers of another food ration cut approaching – from $8.00 USD to $6.00 USD – and Mahbuba* worries that her family will be even more hungry in the future.

Looking forward, Mahbuba* hopes that Sultana* and Rakib* will grow up to be healthy. Meanwhile, Rakib* dreams of going abroad one day. He wants to provide for his family by building them a house.

In the refugee camp, Rakib* and Sultana* visit a Child-Friendly Space, which is supported by Save the Children, on a regular basis. There, Rakib* and Sultana* take part in activities like making crafts and playing games with other children. They attend a Learning Center that’s supported by Save the Children as well.

In addition, their mother – Mahbuba* – volunteers with Save the Children in the refugee camp. She receives monetary compensation for helping out, which she uses to support her family.

Nafeesa*, 24, gave birth to her son, Yaqub*, three days ago, at a site for displaced people in Sudan. She used to live in Khartoum with her husband and seven-year-old son Ali*, but violent conflict forced them to flee their home.

Nafeesa says before the conflict started, her life in Khartoum was good, their financial situation was stable, and she had access to quality healthcare for her first pregnancy and birth. Now they’re displaced, it’s difficult for them to afford food and basic supplies like soap. Nafeesa says they’re surviving only with the support of humanitarian organisations and their neighbours’ generosity.

Save the Children has deployed its Emergency Health Unit to support mobile health teams in White Nile and Al Gezira States to provide essential healthcare services for host communities and displaced children and adults. Services include treatment for diseases, vaccinations, maternal, newborn and child healthcare, the management of malnutrition cases and psychosocial support.

Nafeesa attended Save the Children’s mobile clinic and received pre-natal checks, support to deliver her baby and post-natal care.

Aslı* is 9 years old and attends the 3rd grade; her favorite subject is mathematics. Aslı* and her family, who live in a town in Adıyaman province, had their house destroyed in the earthquakes on February 6. Subsequently, the family began living in a tent, unfortunately losing close relatives in the earthquake as well. When winter arrived, the family met the Save the Children Türkiye team distributing winter household items in the region.
Aslı* expressed her appreciation for the blankets distributed to them, mentioning that they would keep them warm during the winter. Since her favorite Barbie doll and her bag were trapped under the rubble during the earthquake, she now spends her time playing with the toy doll she wants to carry with her everywhere. She shared with us, with a smile, that she wishes to take it everywhere but can't because it's too big.
Save the Children Türkiye is making efforts to distribute household items such as ovens, carpets, blankets, rechargeable lights, electric heaters and etc. in earthquake-affected areas. This is to help families and children endure the challenging winter conditions more resiliently and safely.

Mariya* with her grab bag in her school shelter in Kyiv

Yvenson and Peterson's mom, siblings and cousin posing in front of their house in Haiti. Yvenson received education kit and her mom received nutritional counselling to take care of Meridien and all the family.

Iman* is 10 years old and in the fifth grade. Three years ago, she fled conflict and was forced to relocate to a displacement camp elsewhere in Syria with her father, mother, two brothers, and two sisters. There are approximately 250 families living at the displacement camp.

Iman* loves to help tend the garden the family has painstakingly built around their tent. They used to own land and work in agriculture. Now, the family uses the few meters in front of their tent to grow vegetables and flowers. Iman* has seen the effects of climate change on her country and wants to do her part to help by creating a greener environment.

Iman* says that climate change is frightening due to the potential of an uptick in storms (natural disasters) and drying up bodies of water. Iman* says that sometimes there isn’t enough water as it is, which makes doing laundry and boiling water for cooking difficult. She hopes that people to remember that taking care of the environment is important. Her father, Jamal*, underlines Iman*s hope by saying that climate change is becoming more noticeable every year. However, he believes that the environment can be preserved through agriculture by cultivating plants that cool the atmosphere and stopping deforestation.

Iman*s family doesn’t have an income. They depend on food aid, which isn’t always available. In addition, the family lives in a tent pitched on mountainous, rocky ground. In the winter, the tent becomes extremely cold and Iman* often gets sick. During the summer months, the tent becomes extremely hot and, as a result, sleeping inside is uncomfortable.

At school, Iman* loves studying Arabic, art, mathematics, and science. She wants to be a pharmacist or a painter. Looking forward, Iman* dreams of one day returning home. She wants all children to live in peace without conflict.

Arwa* lives with her mother, father and 3 sisters in a rural area of Hajjah, Yemen. Arwa’s father Ameen* is a farmer, but times are tough. Skyrocketing prices of essential items mean the family struggle to get enough to eat.
Mouna*, Arwa’s* mother, is not getting enough sustenance and is struggling to breastfeed her baby. Ameen* and Mouna* took Arwa* to a Save the Children supported clinic where she was found to be suffering from malnutrition. Arwa was treated and the family were supplied with high nutrient food for the baby and cash transfers.