As the number of cholera deaths in Haiti tops 1,000 and instances of violence are impeding response in some areas, UNICEF is still committing all of its human and material resources to cholera treatment, prevention and public awareness. UNICEF staff are now present in 9 field posts.
Port-au-Prince was spared the worst of the storm, but even moderate flooding is a disaster here, as it increases the risk of the transmission of waterborne diseases such as cholera, which has already claimed the lives of more than 520 Haitians and hospitalized over 7,400.
The Permanent Secretary of the District of Lusaka, Mr. Stephen Bwalya, is also present. He empowers the students to inform their teachers when there is no soap at school. The children’s response is laughter which I believe indicates enthusiasm about their new charge.
UNICEF Communication for Development Officer, James Simasiku, also speaks to the children and encourages them to take the messages about cholera prevention home to their families.
Banja plays music, dances and performs skits to reinforce the importance of hand washing. The presentations are fun and entertaining for the students
It’s pretty amazing how little Iraq is in the news these days. After all, there are still approximately 130,000 American troops in the country, (though between 35,000 and 50,000 troops are expected to pull out of Iraq by August). And there are still bombings every week that kill innocent Iraqis, including children.
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Jun26
No Ordinary MeetingAs a former journalist, I’ve been to a lot of meetings. School boards, planning commissions, city councils, all manner of community gatherings. Some were contentious, some productive, but the majority fell into one or all of these three categories: tedious, forgettable, and decidedly unremarkable. Which is why I’m so delighted to report that the U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s annual meeting earlier this month at New York’s Desmond Tutu Center didn’t really feel like a meeting at all. The extraordinary event Mar26
Thinking of those who die in search of waterSince my friend left for Niger in late January, I haven’t exactly been worried about her safety, despite an escalation of violence by a local rebel group and reported kidnappings on the border of Niger and Mali. Mostly, I’ve been concerned about her health. As I’ve mentioned before, Niger remains one of the poorest countries in the world, and water Child Survival
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