100 days after the earthquake, millions of children are hungry and without classes

According to UNICEF data, 3.7 million children in Syria and 2.5 million in Turkey live in conditions of extreme poverty and precariousness. More than 4 million had to interrupt their studies, already affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Source of : “Structural” problems, classrooms and teachers are missing. “Prefabricated schools, stationery, books” are needed.

Iskenderun () – More than six million children between Turkey and Syria, 100 days after the devastating earthquake on February 6, remain in conditions of extreme poverty and precariousness, having to fight every day to cover their basic needs and deficiencies . The dramatic panorama of the situation is outlined in a report recently published by the UN agency for children (UNICEF), according to which 2.5 million children in Turkey and another 3.7 million in Syria “continue to need humanitarian aid “. Therefore, the experts added, “more support” is needed for the affected populations.

Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, noted that “since the earthquake, children in both countries have experienced unimaginable loss and grief.” The quake affected entire areas “where many families were already incredibly vulnerable.” The children, she continued, “lost their families and loved ones, saw their homes, schools and communities devastated and their entire lives turned upside down.” At least 51,000 children under the age of five are at risk of acute and severe malnutrition; 76,000 pregnant or lactating women need care and support, also because of acute malnutrition.

An institutional source of , who works in the areas affected by the earthquake, confirmed the extent of the emergency. As he explained, “in the provinces affected by the earthquake, until three weeks ago all schools were closed. Now some have reopened, but the issue of refugee camps remains pending, where there are no places set up for it. From time to time From time to time some teachers visit the centers and give classes, but they are occasional episodes in a context of great need”. The underlying problem, he continued, is that the effects of the earthquake “add to the stagnation of previous years related to the Covid-19 pandemic. We were gradually returning to normality and then the earthquake struck, damaging and rendering many schools. Here we face structural problems, lack of spaces and classrooms”.

Vulnerable children in affected areas are increasingly exposed to violence, marriage or forced labor, posing a serious risk to their education. Almost four million had to interrupt their studies, including 350,000 from refugee and migrant families. In addition, many households were already in distress before the catastrophe: 40% of families on the Turkish side were living below the poverty line even before February 6, and without adequate international aid the figure will rise to 50 %, according to Unicef ​​estimates.

In neighboring Syria, ravaged by 12 years of war with enormous damage to infrastructure and public services, the quake caused further suffering, destroying schools, hospitals and other facilities providing basic services. Up to 6.5 million people are at risk of contracting waterborne diseases such as cholera. Hence, the UN agency has made a call to raise the more than 170 million euros needed to implement the immediate response plan. On the other hand, so far only 78 million has been collected for Syria, with insufficient budgets for health and education. Turkey still lacks 85 million to reach the 196 million needed to cover the basic needs of children.

“Even today -said the source of -, in many areas the priority is to remove the remains of collapsed buildings. Like in Antioquia, where after three months of daily work, only 20% of the city could be cleaned. A possible temporary solution is to install prefabricated schools, especially in the centers for the displaced, then you have to find teachers, many of whom have emigrated, and provide stationery and books. The issue is not only educational,” he concluded, “there are to do something for the children, who spend the day wandering around doing nothing, and for their parents, providing them with the means to reopen some activities, such as tailors, bakers or small artisans”.

IN SUPPORT OF THE INITIATIVES TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF THE EARTHQUAKE CARRIED OUT BY THE APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF ANATOLIA AND THE CUSTODY OF THE HOLY LAND, THE PIME FOUNDATION HAS OPENED A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND CONTRIBUTE.