WESTPORT, Conn. (May 13, 2009) — A year after an earthquake devastated the southwest Sichuan province of China, rebuilding is well underway. Support from the Chinese government and from across China has been impressive, but gaps still exist where targeted interventions can improve children's lives.

Neu tan kai plays in a Child Friendly Space established by Save the Children.

More than 87,000 people are confirmed dead or missing, and the homes of more than 11 million people were destroyed, according to Chinese government figures.  

Save the Children has been working over the past year to provide for the protection, education and health needs of children affected by the earthquake, especially children living in temporary housing.

"Our work has been designed to complement the response of the government," said Richard Casagrande, Save the Children's Sichuan program manager, "For example, families have been housed in temporary areas, but they did not have safe places for children to gather, play, and try to process this traumatic experience. We have provided and staffed centers to meet this need."

Helping to Get Children Back to School

Save the Children provided safe play areas and child activity centers to more than 3,700 children living in temporary housing. The agency also contributed educational supplies to more than 64,000 students and over 2,000 teachers in 67 schools and 55 kindergartens.  

"Temporary schools and kindergartens were constructed very rapidly, but sufficient funds for classroom equipment were not available in some areas. So, we stepped in to provide desks, chairs, books and other materials," said Casagrande.

Since last May, millions of people have been relocated to temporary housing provided by the government. Governmental funds are being made available to assist families with their recovery efforts, and many families have started to return to their villages and homes to begin rebuilding.  Given the widespread and extensive damage to both housing and infrastructure, reconstruction efforts are expected to continue in Sichuan for years to come.

Planning for the Future

"We have identified children's needs which we think will continue in the years ahead, so Save the Children is now planning for a long-term presence in Sichuan province," said China county director Wyndham James. James noted that the organization's current support to children and families in temporary housing will continue, where needed, in rebuilt communities. 

To meet children's immediate and ongoing needs, Save the Children is working to help improve the quality of early childhood care and development in earthquake-affected areas through the training of teachers and government education officials. In partnership with local health officials, the agency also is working in 17 communities in Ana and Beichuan Counties to recruit and train health volunteers and committees to address the health needs of children under age 5. In addition, Save the Children is training community members on how to prepare for and reduce the impact of future emergencies and disasters. 

Save the Children works in partnership with governmental agencies at the community, township and county level, as well as with education and health authorities and the Womens' Federation to provide protection, education and health programs for Chinese children in Mianzhu, An, Pengzhou, Beichuan, Shifang, Pingwu and Qingchuan. 

Read more about our response to the 2008 earthquake in China

Save the Children is the leading independent organization that creates lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. Save the Children USA is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, a global network of 27 independent Save the Children organizations working to ensure the well-being and protection of children in more than 120 countries. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.