Thousands of Little Orphans, Many Wandering Streets in Search of Help
January 08, 2004
Misna
Misna.org
The earthquake that struck Bam orphaned thousands of children, many of which are wandering the streets in a state of confusion. Attention was brought to the little victims of this devastating disaster by the UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), which sent specialised assistance to the scene.
According to the organisation for minors, 1,800 children have lost both their parents and over 5-thousand one parent.
A photographic identification service has in fact been started to return these children to their families or to establish contact with the closest relatives of the minors.
Some child psychologists and specialists in facing situations of post-traumatic stress were sent by the UICEF to Bam, where they set up the first four tents for children to play together and receive psychological assistance, while another twenty tents will be set up in the next few days.
The UNICEF also provided basic necessities, such as water purification tablets, containers and covers, as well as 416 ‘school kits’, which consist of scholastic material to organise classes in situations of emergency. The earthquake in fact destroyed 131 schools in Bam and neighbouring areas.
An aid worker of the British ‘Save the Children’ organisation, interviewed by ADN Kronos, confirmed that Iranian authorities have admitted the disappearance of many children that survived the quake. The volunteer however underlined that many of the children could be with relatives in other cities and that inquiries are underway to rule out the existence of any child kidnapping markets.
http://www.misna.org/news.asp?lng=1&id=104139