Over 100,000 children with little access to food and clean water in flood-affected Myanmar Skip to main content

Over 100,000 children with little access to food and clean water in flood-affected Myanmar

06 Aug 2015
With over 2,400 schools shut, at least 250,000 children can't continue learning
Over 100,000 children don't have sufficient food and access to clean drinking water because of ruined crops and contaminated water wells in flood-affected Myanmar, warns Save the Children.
Jose Ravano, Acting Country Director for Save the Children in Myanmar said: “Crops and seeds have been destroyed in the floods and that means that food will be in short supply over the coming weeks leading to fears that more children will be undernourished. As it stands, Myanmar is already one of the 24 high-burden countries with the largest number of stunted children. One-in-three children are stunted, and the food insecurity with these floods could exacerbate the situation.”
“The floods have also contaminated precious water sources such as wells, so we have concerns for how children will access sufficient drinking water. Our teams on the ground have reported that many people are drinking only two litres of water a day, which is not enough in the heat and humidity.”
The children’s aid agency has also expressed concerns for children whose education has been disrupted because of the floods, estimating that 250,000 children are unable to attend school presently with over 2,400 schools shut.
“Thousands of Myanmar's schools are presently closed, as many are inundated, while those that have been spared are used as evacuation centres for people made homeless by the floods. Many children have also lost all of their school books and other educational materials.”
“We would like to see schools reopen very soon so children can continue their education in an environment that will also give them a sense of normality after having lived through the floods.”
Save the Children launched a humanitarian response to support flood-affected children and their families in Rakhine State, Magway Region and Chin State on 2 August 2015. The children’s aid agency has sent its teams to conduct assessments of the situation and needs. Essential hygiene and household items have been sent to the affected areas and distributions will take place as soon as possible.
For interviews contact Olivia Zinzan on 0416 355 851
To donate to Save the Children’s Children in Crisis fund go to www.savethechildren.org.au/childrenincrisis
Notes to Editors:
  • Save the Children has worked in Myanmar since 1995. The children’s aid agency has been one of the leading responders to major humanitarian crises in the country, including Cyclone Nargis in 2008 and Cyclone Giri in 2010.
  • Save the Children’s programmes within the country support the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and their families to access nutritious foods, health services, education, gainful employment, community protection, child rights, clean water and sanitation, malaria and TB control and HIV/AIDS treatment.
  • Save the Children has presence in all flood-affected states and divisions.
Olivia Zinzan | Senior Media Manager – Advocacy & Emergencies | Save the Children Australia
Level 6, 250 Victoria Parade East Melbourne Vic 3002
Direct line: +61 3 9281 2705 | Mobile: +61 (0) 416 355 851 | Skype: oliviazinzan
Email: olivia.zinzan@savethechildren.org.au
Twitter: @oliviazinzan
http://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/over-100000-children-little-access-food-and-clean-water-flood-affected-myanmar
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