Karen in Laos- Day One

Share

After a day or so of acclimatising to the stifling heat and sampling the amazing food of Vientiane (Laos’ chilled out capital city), it was time to get started with the reason I came here – to get  into the field with UNICEF and see what we really do to help save and improve children’s lives.

Every day as UNICEF’s Communications Manager I tell the story of what UNICEF does around the world, but to actually experience how UNICEF touches lives at a very local level is very exciting!

I’m mainly here to see the roll out of Laos’ biggest ever immunization campaign against measles. The Laos government wants to eliminate the disease by 2012. They have also decided to take this opportunity to vaccinate young people against rubella since this is becoming an increasingly prevalent disease – this is a first for Laos.

There are about 1700 cases of measles annually in the country – children can die from the measles infection (or its associated complications such as pneumonia and diarrhoea) so this is a really important campaign.

I start the day by meeting with Marc Vergara (Chief of Comms at UNICEF Laos) and Dr Ataur Rahman (Officer-in-charge of the Health and Nutrition Section) who explain more about the campaign. There is routine immunization in Laos, much like in New Zealand. The difference is that ideally children need two measles vaccines to build good immunity and there are all sorts of factors (such as limited health resources, remoteness of certain areas and language barriers) which make it difficult to reach every child once, let alone twice. Saying that, lots of progress has been made and the levels of children who have been immunized are increasing. Even so, there is a need to give this disease its marching orders once and for all.

So in essence this is a big deal – the campaign is being run by the Government in conjunction with partners like UNICEF and WHO. The aim to vaccinate every child from 9 months to 19 years of age – that’s 2.7m people or almost half the population of Laos! Kind of a big undertaking, but worth it to protect so many children from what can be a killer disease. Over the next few days I am going to see exactly how UNICEF is working to make this campaign happen.

So first of all we need to see where the vaccinations are kept. Now, normally I need a good strong flat white in the morning, but try getting into a -20 freezer before 9am – WOW! But hey, that’s where the measles vaccinations are kept so that’s where we are. Boxes and boxes of tiny vials line the shelves – each box representing around 450 Laos children vaccinated against measles.

The whole process of storing the vaccinations is water tight. And it has to be. If they are not kept at the right temperature then they are pretty much useless. Most can be taken from the cold stores and transported safely within a certain time frame and nothing is left to chance – each vial has what’s called a VVM (Vaccine Vial Monitor) on the top. Basically a white square that only goes dark if the vaccine has over-heated and therefore can’t be used.

The measles vaccines that we will see in action are leaving the storeroom for the journey by road to the provincial store in Paksan – about 650 km. We are making the same journey and it will take us around 7 hours (spread over two days), but the roads are awkward, dusty and pot-holed. The vials will take almost double the time we do to get to the storeroom, but as long as they reach their destination within 72 hours they will be in fine condition. As another precaution, each batch also carries a cold chain certificate to show whether they are safe to use.

Categories: Immunisation, Kiwis in the field, UNICEF IN ACTION | Leave a comment

Royal High Tea for Africa!

Share
William and Catherine

© St James’s Palace, by Chris Jackson/ Getty

As you may know, William and Catherine are on their way to Copenhagen this Thursday (3rd of November 2011 NZ time). The purpose of their visit isn’t to view beautiful old buildings or to taste the local cuisine, but to help the children suffering in the Horn of Africa drought.

The Duke and Duchess will be visiting UNICEF’s Supply Centre in Copenhagen, which has a warehouse within it the size of three football pitches!  It sources, packs and distributes essential supplies for children around the globe, including food, water, special nutritional supplies, vaccines and emergency medical kits.

The aim of the Royal visit is to raise awareness of the crisis in East Africa, that has left more than 320,000 children so severely malnourished that they are at imminent risk of starving to death.

You have all been so generous already but funds are still urgently needed, so why not get involved and have a Royal themed High Tea for Africa!

Bake some delicious cupcakes, make some egg sammies, brew a pot of your finest tea and invite your friends along and ask them to make a donation to help starving children.

Everyone loves a tea break and your fundraising will make a big difference for children in the Horn of Africa, some of whom have gone for days without a bite to eat.

Get your office involved, get your nana involved, heck, you should just get everyone you know involved!

Send all your fabulous photos to us (sally@unicef.org.nz). We would love to see what you have done! We will even post our UNICEF office Royal High Tea up on Facebook for you to see!

Be sure to share this post with your friends and colleagues so everyone can have the chance to be involved.
And you can check out the Royal High Tea For Africa event on Facebook too.

You can donate the money you have raised online here.

Categories: Emergencies, Horn of Africa, Royals | Leave a comment

Water rationing continues in Tuvalu

Share
When you live in a place that is facing severe water shortages and your family has only 40 litres of rationed water per day …when you live in a place where trees, crops and grass are all turning brown or withering away from the blistering heat… you have to ask the question – “What’s going to happen to me…my children…my family?”
Tuvalu has recorded the poorest rainfall over the last three years with the lowest rainfall ever being recorded this year. Even after the few downpours we’ve had over the last week, it is still not enough for its people. Other than the supply of water from the current desalination units, a few dug up wells and of course the little rain that arrives – there are no rivers, streams, waterfalls or water springs to turn to as an alternative water source!
There is tremendous support being given to the Tuvalu Government from local NGOs, churches, donor partners, UN agencies, regional agencies, private companies and HEAPS more…and the offers for further assistance keep coming. All of the partners on the ground are working around the clock to ensure that women and men, girls and boys have access to clean drinking water. In addition to the emergency supplies and support already received by the Government of Tuvalu, UNICEF is also donating a Solar Powered Desalination Unit which has the capacity to produce approximately 5,800 ltrs to a maximum of 11,000 ltrs of desalinated water per day. This will help to further boost the level of water production for Funafuti before its permanent home is finally chosen. This unit being solar powered means it will cost less to run. It is the first of its kind to arrive here in Tuvalu and is expected to be installed by early next week. This robust unit is expected to arrive this weekend in Funafuti.
I spoke to a student of Fetuvalu High School who said that he came from a family of ten and that it was very difficult to manage everyday tasks relying only on the water they received everyday. That’s just 4litres of water for each person in that family…4 litres each for the ENTIRE day.
So the next time you complain about the rain ruining your plans to have an outdoor BBQ or go out for a picnic… or when you’re waving your fist in the air as you pull out of your driveway just after you’ve washed your car and then it suddenly rains…or when you’re shouting at the clouds just after you’ve hung out a huge load of laundry and have to test your sprinting skills as you zoom past everyone and do hurdles across furniture to get your clothes out of the rain – STOP! Be thankful for the water you DO have access to – this is to remind us that just because we have this access to clean water, does not mean we should be wasting it. Every drop counts!  We are all connected – What we do today, will have an impact on our tomorrow.

Vika Waradi, UNICEF Pacific, blogging from Tuvalu

When you live in a place that is facing severe water shortages and your family has only 40 litres of rationed water per day …when you live in a place where trees, crops and grass are all turning brown or withering away from the blistering heat… you have to ask the question – “What’s going to happen to me…my children…my family?”

Water collection point in Funafuti, Tuvalu

Water collection point in Funafuti, Tuvalu

Tuvalu has recorded the poorest rainfall over the last three years with the lowest rainfall ever being recorded this year. Even after the few downpours we’ve had over the last week, it is still not enough for its people. Other than the supply of water from the current desalination units, a few dug up wells and of course the little rain that arrives – there are no rivers, streams, waterfalls or water springs to turn to as an alternative water source!

There is tremendous support being given to the Tuvalu Government from local NGOs, churches, donor partners, UN agencies, regional agencies, private companies and HEAPS more…and the offers for further assistance keep coming. All of the partners on the ground are working around the clock to ensure that women and men, girls and boys have access to clean drinking water.

In addition to the emergency supplies and support already received by the Government of Tuvalu, UNICEF is also donating a Solar Powered Desalination Unit which has the capacity to produce approximately 5,800 ltrs to a maximum of 11,000 ltrs of desalinated water per day. This will help to further boost the level of water production for Funafuti before its permanent home is finally chosen. This unit being solar powered means it will cost less to run. It is the first of its kind to arrive here in Tuvalu and is expected to be installed by early next week. This robust unit is expected to arrive this weekend in Funafuti.

I spoke to a student of Fetuvalu High School who said that he came from a family of ten and that it was very difficult to manage everyday tasks relying only on the water they received everyday. That’s just 4litres of water for each person in that family…4 litres each for the ENTIRE day.

Water collection in Funafuti, Tuvalu

Water collection in Funafuti, Tuvalu

So the next time you complain about the rain ruining your plans to have an outdoor BBQ or go out for a picnic… or when you’re waving your fist in the air as you pull out of your driveway just after you’ve washed your car and then it suddenly rains…or when you’re shouting at the clouds just after you’ve hung out a huge load of laundry and have to test your sprinting skills as you zoom past everyone and do hurdles across furniture to get your clothes out of the rain – STOP! Be thankful for the water you DO have access to – this is to remind us that just because we have this access to clean water, does not mean we should be wasting it. Every drop counts!  We are all connected – What we do today, will have an impact on our tomorrow.

Categories: Climate Change, Emergencies, Pacific Islands, Uncategorized | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Tinned fish, noodles and turkey tails

Share

By Tanya St George, Senior Advocacy Advisor, UNICEF New Zealand

It’s World Food Day and while we in New Zealand continue to debate the price of milk, spare a thought for our neighbours in the Pacific, where spiraling food prices are forcing some families to make major changes to their diets, and climate change now poses a major threat to food security.

According to a new Asian Development Bank report, climate change will increase hunger and malnutrition among the Pacific’s poorest people unless governments act soon. Coastal erosion, floods, drought, and storm surges are reducing crop production for both commercial and subsistence farmers.

UNI46427

Tell the 10.1 million or so people spread across the tiny islands and atolls of the Pacific something they don’t know.

Rising sea levels are already consuming the tiny islets of Kiribati, contaminating their gardens and poisoning their wells, while drought last week forced Tuvalu and Tokelau to a state of emergency and to ration drinking water.  No water means no food crops, so food shortages are likely in the not too distant future.

At the Pacific Islands Forum in Auckland last month leaders agreed that climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and well-being of the peoples of the Pacific.  You know it’s serious when the Secretary-General of the United Nations makes climate change the focus of his first visit to the region.

Not having enough to eat – and having to pay too much for it – is already a reality for poorer families in some part of the Pacific.  UNICEF monitoring of six Pacific Island countries[1] shows families are experiencing increased economic stress due to rising food prices.  Market surveys confirm the cost of some staple food items is up by as much as 50-100% since 2009.  The more remote and import-dependent Pacific Island economies of Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga are particularly exposed to higher global fuel and food prices.

Samoa fish market 4

More rural families are resorting to subsistence agriculture, gardening and fishing to supplement food and income, but that’s not an option for urban households who spend up to 40 percent of their budget on food.  Many are resorting to eat fewer and less nutritious meals. In Fiji, fresh or frozen meat and fish are a luxury for some families.  There’s not a lot of goodness in tinned fish, noodles, and turkey tails, which are fast becoming dietary staples.

While many Pacific families place enormous importance on education, some are literally having to choose between putting food on the table or paying to send their kids to school. In Vanuatu, one secondary school reported a 20% decrease in enrolment. Boarding schools are also reporting difficulties in ensuring their students get enough food.

How can it be that in a region of abundant natural resources people can still go hungry? What’s to be done?

Longer term our government and those of the region are focusing on sustainable economic development, capitalising on the potential of the Pacific’s productive sectors, particularly fisheries, tourism and agriculture.  But that’s going to take time. There’s less than five years left to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.  Progress so far has been mixed to say the least. Each crisis – manmade or otherwise – sets us back from fulfilling even these most basic promises to the world’s children.

Meanwhile Pacific Islands  governments, with the help of donor partners like New Zealand, need to consider providing  or expanding social protection programmes such as targeted food and cash assistance for the urban poor.  In rural areas, they can encourage local food production and subsidise fishing boats and fuel. School feeding programmes can ensure children get their minimum daily nutrition requirements, while abolishing school fees in all primary schools will help children stay in school.

Many Pacific Island countries have put in place some of these interventions. These efforts need to be expanded and reinforced. As a Pacific nation and as major aid donor to other Pacific Island countries, New Zealand has the means and the opportunity to make a difference to children and young people there. It’s time to step up.

Find out more about UNICEF’s advocacy work in the Pacific:

http://www.unicef.org.nz/Children-in-the-Pacific

Sunday 16 October is not only World Food Day,  it’s also Blog  Action Day when bloggers around the world blog about one important global topic on the same day.  Past topics have included water, climate change and poverty.


[1] Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu

Categories: Climate Kiwis, Food, Pacific Islands | Leave a comment

Dennis Update Part 4

Share

Dennis has sent through another update as they’ve made it to a new town near the Somali border:

I have arrived in Wajri, a Kenyan town near the Somali border. Overnight torrential rain fell in what could only be described as a waterfall and flooded the streets. The rain also fell in Dadaab, home to half a million refugees. This rain is a mixed blessing: it is critical for the recovery to begin (providing drink for livestock and water for crops), but it brings another threat: malaria, cholera, and other waterborne diseases which can be fatal to children already weakened by malnutrition.

When I spoke with the medical staff at Wajri hospital, they expressed deep concern at the demands that will be placed on their limited capacity, as they’re already stretched coping with child malnutrition, dehydration, and snake bites.

At the hospital, I met Nuria a 4 month old girl. Nuria weighs only 3.5 kilos; she is desperately malnourished. Although still a baby, Nuria had not been breastfed as her mother did not know that breastmilk is the best nutrition for her daughter. Nuria’s mother sadly shared her family’s story, talking of the loss of their camels to the drought. This was not only a loss of their milk source, but also a loss of their livelihood. With no milk, Nuria had no nourishment and was wasting away. In desperation, Nuria was taken to hospital.

Here, the medical staff are caring for Nuria with therapeutic milk. This special nutrient-packed milk is ensuring that Nuria is gaining weight and strength. With this simple and effective treatment, Nuria is recovering well and will be able to leave the hospital in about a week. The staff will give Nuria’s mother a month’s supply of therapeutic food, provided by UNICEF, to ensure her full recovery. Soon, she will be fully well again.

As well as providing therapeutic food for children, UNICEF is encouraging mothers in the Horn of Africa to breastfeed their babies exclusively for the child’s first six months of life. With UNICEF support, community health workers and mother-to-mother support groups in the refugee camps are promoting the benefits of breastfeeding, and so helping prevent child malnutrition.

Your donations are saving the lives of children like Nuria.

UNICEF is making a fantastic impact on the ground, to donate please click here.

Categories: Emergencies, Horn of Africa, Kiwis in the field | Leave a comment