Children in Disasters

One after the other, disasters are knocking children and their families to their knees. This is a series of stories of their survival, strength, and grit. 

There is a mental health crisis, especially among children, in Northwest Syria, as a result of the earthquakes which first struck on 6 February 2023 (one month ago today) and the conflict which began 12 years ago this month. Mental health experts believe that the devastation of the earthquake, and the series of aftershocks and displacement resulting from it, will further worsen the mental health needs of children. 

The lessons Isabel Gomes shares about responding to an earthquake are not what you might expect. Haiti, Nepal, Indonesia, Syria, Türkiye. World Vision is no stranger to responding to major earthquakes that kill hundreds or thousands, rip up infrastructure and tear down homes. We grieve each time one occurs. With each one we learn more about the best ways to respond to this devastating force of nature. 

The already stretched child protection system in Northwest Syria is now inundated with extremely high numbers of unaccompanied children, many of whom have lost one or both parents. UNICEF estimates that 2.5 million Syrian children have been impacted by the earthquake.

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