August 19, 2008

More than three months after a catastrophic earthquake hit China's Sichuan Province, Mercy Corps is training local mental health professionals to support the special needs of thousands of children traumatized by the disaster.

We're also continuing to distribute much-needed household items to the thousands of families affected by the earthquake, which killed at least 69,000 people and displaced almost several million.

You can help support their needs over these critical next few months.

Photos: Norman Ng for Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps, through local partners and in collaboration with colleague organizations and government authorities, is mounting an emergency response for survivors. We have deployed experienced staff members from our Beijing and U.S. headquarters offices to help coordinate efforts.

Support for young survivors

Mercy Corps has launched two youth psychosocial programs. The first, called Comfort for Kids, combines a basic trauma training workshop with a workbook called "My Earthquake Experience: 5/12 Wenchuan Earthquake." The workbook helps children tell their story about how they experienced the earthquake in a safe environment moderated by an adult caregiver.

"Providing psychosocial support to traumatized children within the first four-to-eight weeks following a disaster can prove critical to preventing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from escalating into chronic PTSD," says Griffen Samples, an expert in post-traumatic activities for children, who is setting up the program. Samples led similar efforts for Mercy Corps in New York City after 9/11 and on the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina.

The second program, called Moving Forward, uses sports and games to facilitate discussions and help children regain communication, self-esteem, resiliency and trust. Team building is a critical component of the healing process, says Matt Streng, Mercy Corps' expert in health, youth and sports, who is on the ground in Chengdu setting up the Moving Forward program.

Mercy Corps experts have trained hundreds of psychologists, graduate students and others in post-trauma approaches that we have used successfully in war zones and disaster areas around the world. Sichuan University and other local organizations already have requested that Mercy Corps expand these training programs to help meet the overwhelming need for post-trauma expertise.

Supplies for displaced families

On July 4, we distributed the first round of "Hygiene Kits" alongside our partner China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation. These kits were distributed at a temporary school situated near the former site of Jinhua Primary School — where 79 students and 11 teachers died during the earthquake — in the city of Deyang. The kits, which come in a re-usable plastic container, are packed with two weeks' worth of hygiene supplies for families, including: detergents, dish soap, first aid supplies, toothpaste, toothbrushes and soap.

Since then, we have distributed thousands of kits to displaced children and teachers, eliciting an emotional response during each delivery.

Our initial response included procurement and delivery of 22 truckloads worth of critical supplies — such as water, noodles, milk and shelter items — to displaced families.

Mercy Corps has been assisting families and vulnerable communities in China since 2001. One of our programs — Project GLOW, supported by the Nike Foundation — is centered in Sichuan Province, the epicenter of the earthquake.

You can help us continue our efforts &mdash and reach out to even more earthquake-affected children — by making a donation to our China Earthquake fund. You can also read an ongoing journal about our on-the-ground efforts: Stories from Sichuan.

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