ChildFund Liberia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), has opened the first dedicated children`s Interim Care Centre in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, for children who have lost one or both parents to Ebola.
An initial 20 children moved into the centre on Monday, 6 October. Eight Ebola survivors have been recruited as temporary caregivers, and a nurse, social workers and a mental health worker will provide additional support for these children.
“More than 2,000 children have been orphaned by Ebola in Liberia,” said Billy Abimbilla, ChildFund International`s national director for Liberia and Sierra Leone. “In addition to the tragedy of losing parents, these children are being traumatised by the stigma associated with the virus. They have nowhere else to go.”
The centre will provide care, support and protection for affected children for a quarantine period of 21 days from the time they last had close contact with a person diagnosed with Ebola. In addition to housing and meals, the children will be provided with play and reading materials and receive counselling from carers who have survived Ebola and are now immune.
Staff at the centre will closely observe and monitor the children for the development of Ebola symptoms, through twice-daily testing of temperature and using a checklist of symptomology, and take immediate action to refer such children to the nearest Ebola Treatment Unit or Ebola Care Centre as appropriate.
There will also be active tracing of children`s relatives to facilitate family reunification after the quarantine period is over. If extended family are not willing or able to care for the child, alternative options such as foster care will be sought.
ChildFund Australia CEO Nigel Spence said: “The number of children orphaned and stigmatised by Ebola is increasing by the day. A centre like this is critical to provide a protective environment for these children and help them process the grief and trauma they are experiencing.”
The MOHSW together with ChildFund will be establishing additional Interim Care Centres in Liberia to support the increasing number of children orphaned by Ebola.
Additional funds provided by ChildFund Australia will also be used to establish an Interim Care Centre in the hard-hit Bombali district of Sierra Leone.
To all of our valued supporters, I wanted to provide this update regarding the Ebola crisis in West Africa, one of the worst public health emergencies seen in modern times.
Firstly I would like to confirm that ChildFund is responding to this health crisis through our partner organisations in the ChildFund Alliance. ChildFund works in four of the countries affected by the outbreak, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Senegal. ChildFund does not operate programs in Nigeria, which is also affected.
It is thanks to our child sponsors that we have been able to respond so quickly in the communities where we work. During an emergency, a portion of sponsorship funds may be allocated to assist affected children and families. This means we can provide immediate help and then assess whether further funds are needed.
In each of the affected countries, ChildFund is working collaboratively with the Government, local partners and other organisations such as UNICEF, the World Health Organisation and World Food Programme to respond to the needs of children. In all affected countries, the major concerns for children are insufficient food, poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, medical care, trauma support and protection, and community awareness about prevention and treatment of Ebola.
Secondly, I know sponsors will be very worried about their sponsored children. However, I hope you understand that we are unable to request information on individual sponsored children at this time. Our staff on the ground are working under very difficult circumstances and all attention is currently focused on the emergency response.
As updates come through, we will share them with you as quickly as possible. General updates can be found on our website. Information about individual children will not be shared publicly €“ if we receive information about your sponsored child, a member of our Supporter Relations team will be in touch.
We hope this FAQ below answers any further questions you have. Thank you for your continued support of our work assisting children and families, particularly during this devastating public health emergency.
What is the current situation?
(Please note: The situation is changing daily, however, this information is correct as of 12 September)
ChildFund works in four of the countries affected by the outbreak €“ Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Senegal. ChildFund does not operate programs in Nigeria, which is also affected.
The number of recorded cases of Ebola in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria has risen to 4,784, with almost 2,500 people dying from the disease. The situation in Senegal, which confirmed its first €“ and so far, only €“ case of Ebola on 29 August, remains stable but on high alert.
In all countries, the major concerns for children are insufficient food, poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, medical care, trauma support and protection, and community awareness about prevention and treatment of Ebola.
Is my sponsored child ok?
We are unable to make enquiries about individual sponsored children at this time. However, our local staff are in close contact with affected communities and will continue to provide us with updates when they can. We will contact you directly if we receive news about your sponsored child. Otherwise, general updates can be found on our website, Facebook Page or Twitter.
Can I continue to write to my sponsored child?
Yes, however, please be aware that responses to your letters may take a lot more time than usual. Currently, letter writing and delivery activities have been put on hold in affected communities. This is a direct result of the health crisis. Please be patient, resources within communities are stretched and ChildFund staff are focused on emergency response activities.
How is ChildFund helping affected children and families?
ChildFund and its local partners in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Senegal are working at the community level to increase awareness about how to prevent the spread of the disease and the need for early medical attention. Simple measures, like hand washing, are proving to be one of the most effective ways to protect children and families from the virus, so we are providing bleach, hygiene kits and gloves at places like schools, hospitals and border crossing checkpoints. We are training and equipping health personnel, assisting with the delivery of life-saving medical supplies and also recruiting health education volunteers within communities.
This community-centred approach has created trust and increased public support for the use of preventive measures, particularly in Guinea where no new cases have been reported in any of the communities where ChildFund works since the end of March. ChildFund continues to collaborate with the Government in each country, UN agencies and other INGOs working on the epidemic to ensure that all activities complement each other.
Why hasn`t ChildFund Australia launched an emergency appeal?
In Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Senegal, sponsorship and donor funds are assisting in the fight against Ebola in the communities where ChildFund works. Additional funds have also been contributed from our partner organisations in the US, Germany and Korea. At this stage, further funds have not been requested, however, this may change as the crisis continues.
It must be noted this is a different kind of emergency that requires specialised personnel and medical equipment to treat people who contract Ebola, contain the spread of the disease and support the very basic health infrastructure that exists in the affected countries. As organisations like MSF Australia have highlighted, while NGOs have a role to play, it is the responsibility of governments around the world to prevent this becoming a global health crisis. For example, the United States has agreed to send 3,000 military personnel to Liberia to construct disease treatment centres and train health care workers.
The UN and WHO expect the international effort to stop Ebola will cost close to $US1 billion. Only $US300 million has been promised so far, including $8 million from the Australian Government. ChildFund urges swift and significant action by world leaders to combat this health crisis.
How can I help?
As a child sponsor in the affected countries, you are already assisting. Your sponsorship donations are currently helping to protect children and families from Ebola in the communities where ChildFund works. Thank you so much for your support.
If you would like to further assist, or if you don’t currently support in these countries, you may wish to consider sponsoring a child in Sierra Leone or Senegal. Sponsorships are not currently available in Guinea or Liberia.
You can also join the call for world leaders to take strong action to fight Ebola by signing this petition.
