Save the Children welcomes a generous grant of $250,000 from The Slaight Family Foundation to respond to the critical needs of children and families impacted by the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.
The new funding will help to improve the management of water-borne diseases in refugee and displaced persons camps through early detection, improved case management, initiating early response efforts, capacity building of health workers, establishing treatment units, and infection control.
It has been six months since the beginning of a conflict in Tigray, which has now displaced an estimated 1.7 million people. Even before the conflict began, close to one million people in Tigray were in need of urgent food assistance because of locust infestations, drought, and the devastating economic impact of the pandemic.
These complex and interconnected issues have left 4.5 million people in Tigray in critical need of humanitarian assistance.
Thousands of displaced people, including women and children, live in overcrowded makeshift camps, with inadequate access to water, sanitation and healthcare. These conditions – coupled with the upcoming rainy season (June-September) – increase the likelihood of water-borne diseases such as cholera.
“We are grateful for the generosity of The Slaight Family Foundation, whose support will help us reach the most vulnerable people and save lives,” says Danny Glenwright president and CEO of Save the Children. “This much-needed funding will make a real difference in advancing our reach to respond to the urgent needs of thousands of displaced people, including the many children who have been separated from their parents or caregivers because of the conflict.”
In addition to the water-borne disease preparedness and response program, Save the Children is providing other forms of lifesaving assistance, including food, water and shelter, health care and sanitation, hygiene and education support.
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