Coronavirus: Liveblog (April)
30 April 2020:
Video Broadcast to Uphold Wellbeing in Lebanon
In Lebanon we are adapting our activities to deliver reliable information to help shield children and their families from the #coronavirus pandemic - and uphold their wellbeing. We are taking our message directly to the most vulnerable communities - including refugee camps and informal settlements.
Inside the Beddawi refugee camp - in the north of Lebanon - we teamed up with local TV station Rinawi to broadcast special video messages on psychosocial support. The broadcast reached 5,000 households - all part of our efforts to ensure that no child is left behind.
27 April 2020:
Upholding Children's Spirits in Sri Lanka
25 April 2020:
Meet the Urgent Needs of Vulnerable Children and Families in Lebanon
How do you meet the urgent needs of some of the world's most vulnerable children and families in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis? In Lebanon we are rapidly adapting our methods to meet this challenge - upholding access to basic needs and sharing vital social and emotional support in new and innovative ways. War Child education project manager Georges shares the challenges - and successes - he faces in our new video dispatch…
24 April 2020:
#MindsUnitedforMentalHealth
Minds United for Mental Health is our new campaign to help shape the world’s humanitarian response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign sees global thought leaders come together to explore what needs to be done to maintain the survival and mental wellbeing of vulnerable families. Watch the videos submitted by experts and practitioners here…
21 April 2020:
Direct Deliveries to Meet Vital Needs in Gaza
The threat posed by COVID-19 in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) is increasing. War Child is working in Gaza to uphold the wellbeing of children and communities - delivering hygiene and child care kits directly to the most vulnerable families. Find out more...
17 April 2020:
Coalition helps with clean water, soap and public information
15 April 2020:
Experts share new approaches to uphold access to education
Children living in fragile situations are seeing their access to education contract sharply as the coronavirus pandemic expands. Widespread school closures and restrictions on movement mean that new solutions and delivery mechanisms are needed to meet fundamental learning needs. Experts from the humanitarian sector came together this week to address these challenges in the latest Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) webinar. The exchange saw War Child share its strategy to maintain access to learning during the pandemic through our coalition-driven Can’t Wait to Learn programme. The complete video webinar is available to view here - with our contribution starting at the 39:30 mark.
Photo: War Child
13 April 2020:
War Child supports UN 'Global Ceasefire' call
10 April 2020:
Psychosocial support for refugee children in Germany for remote use
To support as many young people as possible during the current lockdown, we are adapting our Dare to Dream sessions for the psychosocial wellbeing of refugee children in Germany into online videos with our partners from Pass the Crayon. We are sending the videos by WhatsApp to children in German refugee centres while providing them with craft and drawing materials. Two new sessions will be published each week.
10 April 2020:
Bridging the learning gap and upholding wellbeing
09 April 2020:
Vital WhatsApp messages to uphold health and wellbeing in Gaza
Gaza is home to 1.9 million people - housed in just 365 square kilometres of land. The coronavirus pandemic presents a singular threat to the territory - one that threatens a complete systems collapse.
The air and sea blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt means that medicines are scarce. There are only 60 intensive care beds across the whole of Gaza - yet physical distancing is nearly impossible. And stress levels among the population are even higher than usual.
Our OPT team is supporting parents and children directly through WhatsApp - with vital messages to uphold health and wellbeing.
08 April 2020:
Maintaining access to quality education with Can’t Wait to Learn
Millions of children worldwide are missing out on education as the coronavirus pandemic expands. Can’t Wait to Learn is actively responding to this emergency with the support of our various partners - and working to make its educational games available to children living at home in lockdown.
This emergency response encompasses three key technical adaptations of Can’t Wait to Learn:
- A downloadable link that allows children to use core Can’t Wait to Learn materials on alternative devices such as computers and mobile phones.
- An increase in the number of available tablets per country, in order for all children to have their own tablet.
- A mobile-compatible version of Can’t Wait to Learn.
We are also exploring ways to provide increased support to the important adults in children’s lives - particularly teachers and caregivers - to strengthen engagement and learning outcomes.
Can’t Wait to Learn is our fast, effective and low-cost custom gaming technology to deliver quality education.
Photo: War Child
Shielding remote communities in Sri Lanka against COVID-19
War Child is working in Sri Lanka to shield remote communities against the spread of COVID-19 through child-friendly public health messaging shared through social media, WhatsApp and SMS. We are also partnering with local youth groups to distribute hygiene packages in our all project locations.
We are also developing new responses to meet urgent needs - helping to set up water facilities and conduct awareness-raising sessions in local community centres.
As the #coronavirus pandemic continues, War Child will use remote means to deliver vital child protection, psychosocial support and education for children and their caregivers.
Together we aim to #LeaveNoChildBehind
06 April 2020:
Small acts as a huge step in Lebanon
War Child is working to protect remote communities against the spread of COVID-19 through child-friendly public health messaging through social media, WhatsApp and SMS. Working with local youth groups War Child is distributing hygiene packages in all project locations.
We are planning to provide water facilities and to give hygiene promotion in community centres where we are supporting children as soon as possible.
As the emergency continues, War Child is developing remote child protection, psychosocial support and education for children and their caregivers
03 April 2020:
TeamUp at Home: support for children during the coronavirus pandemic
Children everywhere are facing anxiety and uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic. In response War Child - together with Save the Children and UNICEF Netherlands - has adapted the TeamUp programme to meet the needs of all children and families in lockdown.
TeamUp at Home is a series of structured games and activities designed to allow children to release stress and enjoy increased emotional support and stability. TeamUp at Home is simple, fun and suitable for everyone.
• 02 April 2020:
Meeting needs directly in South Sudan
House to house sensitisation in Uganda
• 31 March 2020:
Refugee populations at risk in Jordan
• 30 March 2020:
Child Care Kits distribution in South Sudan
• 29 March 2020:
Promoting protection through music
In Africa - where few Covid-19 cases have so far been confirmed - we are taking our message into the heart of communities while we can. In these communities TV and internet access is scarce - meaning word of mouth is the most effective means of communication.
In South Sudan our staff and volunteers are informing people how they can protect themselves and prevent the coronavirus from spreading. And we also have taken our message nationwide - with the help of Afrobeat star Check-B Magic. The rapper has recorded a jingle with key messages on hygiene and safety.
This musical message is not only being broadcast on stations across South Sudan - it’s also being shared by War Child staff through moving sound-systems in refugee settlements and rural communities as part of our ‘Mobile Awareness on Wheels’ initiative. And you can hear the message below...
• 26 March 2020:
Shielding children from the coronavirus pandemic
War Child works in countries where life-sustaining services are disrupted by armed conflict. We are now adapting our activities to meet the fresh challenge posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Find out how we are working to ensure children in our all countries of operation are protected...
• 25 March 2020:
Animation to raise awareness
• 19 March 2020:
War Child maintains support amid coronavirus pandemic
Find out more about our work - in partnership with both local and international NGOs - to uphold the social and emotional wellbeing of children and communities wherever we are present...
