Children and recovery

Children recover from disasters more quickly when they are called upon to help to rebuild their community:

• Invite children to help. They can care for young unaccompanied minors, gather wood, distribute water, help in health clinics, and make food and clothing. Adolescents can entertain young children. Children in unaffected areas can support affected children. 
• Re-establish education. It means children matter, and helps them rebuild some structure in their lives. Learning can be tailored to help with trauma healing.  
• Quickly establish routines for children. Regular, meals, story telling, sports, music, bathing, washing clothing, holidays and festivals all reassure children.  
• Identify skilled adults and get them to run programmes for children. Ask teachers, coaches, artists, musicians to help with programmes for children and all benefit. 
• Connect each child to a trusting loving older person, praise their accomplishments, show love and empathy and encourage children’s hopes and confidence.
• Care for them within the community and use residential care institutions like orphanages only as a last resort.
• Change adults’ perceptions of children so children can contribute fast. Include children who need special help and may have been neglected for some time.

Involving communities to help children grow into healthy adults may even help prevent future disasters recurring.