New Zealand donors have given $100,000 to World Vision's Solomon Islands appeal, and Kiwi child protection expert, Amalia Fawcett, says the situation after the April 9 tsunami is heartbreaking and there's an urgent need to help the thousands of children affected.

Ms Fawcett, who arrived in Honiara on Sunday, attended the nation's memorial service yesterday for the 52 who died in the tsunami.

"The stories are very distressing; whole villages were taken away by the waves. At the service the Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare recounted a story of a 6-year-old boy who drowned trying to save his 3-year-old sister. Young children were killed and older people as well, so you have adults trying to cope with their own grief, as well as their children's grief."

Ms Fawcett's major concern is the psycho-social welfare of the children, and World Vision is working with an inter-agency working group getting communities and children involved. "It's important to do what we are - getting in promptly and making sure they get the right support networks now means they will most likely recover."

However since one of the most important support systems – schools – are not yet re-opened in the affected areas, aid workers are looking at alternatives so the children have somewhere to go and people to connect with.

"Children are resilient but they're facing instability and uncertainty. They've lost their homes, loved ones, they can't go to school, so can't meet up with their friends. It's incredibly frightening for them, and we're helping the children to shoulder that."

A big factor, Ms Fawcett says, is listening. "We use a Human Rights-based approach, and one of the major things is the right for children to participate. We ask them what they want from us. Each child will differ in the way they respond to grief. Some may want to talk about it straight away and will seek out adults they can talk to. Others will be happy to draw about their experiences and then talk about the drawing. Others just want to play and that is enough for them at the moment, just getting things back to normal."

Ms Fawcett says after major disasters like this, there is an increased risk of family violence, as adults react to stress and grief. Children themselves can be angry and tense. "We try and deal with this by supporting the families as well, looking for ways to relieve their stress so they in turn can support their children."

A long term programme of reconstruction will be needed for years to come, she says. "We're literally building from the ground up in some areas."

Ms Fawcett will spend four to six weeks in the Solomon Islands, and part of her task will be training someone to replace her when she returns to New Zealand.

ENDS

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