13 January 2005

Kiwi expert says child emotional needs priority in tsunami aid effort

World Vision's top child protection expert New Zealander Heather MacLeod says catering for the psychological needs of children must be high on the list of priorities in aid efforts for tsunami victims.

Ms MacLeod made the comments following a visit to Banda Aceh to help set up child activity centres. She will return to the devastated region this weekend after attending agency tsunami planning meetings in Singapore.

Ms MacLeod said body bags and exposed corpses were still evident in public places waiting to be buried.

She recalled one woman pleading with passers-by to help her recover the body of her daughter trapped underneath an overturned car.

"It was just terrible to see her level of distress at not being able to bury a close member of her family," she said.

Ms MacLeod said it was hard to imagine what was going through children’s minds after witnessing such scenes. She said most were frightened to venture even short distances from their crude shelters, or foyers of large buildings where they had found temporary shelter with their carers. A situation made worse by regular and violent aftershocks.

But she said surprisingly there was a relatively small number of orphans which suggested most family groups would have perished together.

"Though it does mean many children will have lost their friends creating an incredible sense of grief and loss."

Ms MacLeod said the activity centres World Vision was setting up would give children the opportunity to participate in organised games, painting and other fun activities which would assist their recovery.

"It helps children not to dwell too much on all the terrible things that have happened and helps them understand not everything that happens is necessarily bad," she said.

Ms MacLeod said another potential risk for children was abandonment since many parents had lost their livelihoods and had no means to support their offspring. She said it was important that in addition to the distribution of essentials like food, shelter materials and water, energy was directed into giving people work.

Fellow New Zealander and World Vision micro-enterprise specialist John Morrow will head to Indonesia later this month to assist with the economic recovery.

To donate to World Vision's Tsunami appeal: Ph:0800 80 2000 Visit the website: www.worldvision.org.nz Telecom and vodafone subscribers can make a $3 donation by texting DONATE to short code 883.

ENDS

© Scoop Media