Bangkok Update
The waters may recede, but the work goes on… as the Bangkok floods slip further from the media glare, Peuan Peuan Country Program Director Ann reflects on the last few hectic weeks and on the big tasks still to come…
‘So much work to do to prepare to protect our children in any emergency circumstances…
From 11th November, the Peuan Peuan Outreach and Reintegration teams merged to respond to flood emergencies. During the relief phase, the team, consisting of 9 staff, provided psycho-social services in Child Friendly Space (CFS), and other services including 1st Aid, Life skills, NFE (Non-Formal Education), and additional subjects on health and safety during the floods, to children and their caretakers. These activities are essential to make sure that children and their family are able to access basic services and necessary support. Importantly, during this period, the team ensured that children were well protected and monitored. Thanks to UNICEF for providing us with some materials, so the team helped disseminating child protection messages and awareness among evacuees, parents, caretakers and also with the staff managing emergency shelters.
To date, Peuan Peuan delivered services to 185 individual children in 4 emergency shelters; located in the areas seriously hit by the floods: Sapansiri Community, Wat Laksi, Rajabhat Pranakorn university and Waisalee school.
Along with psycho-social support, Peuan Peuan is also a member of the sub-cluster in Child Protection in the emergency working group organized by UNICEF and Save the Children UK. This is a group of key government agencies, Ministry of Social development and Human Security, Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Education, and other partner NGOs whose missions focus on children, working together to ensure strategic planning to protect children and family in any emergency situation in the future.
This is only the beginning, now the floods have receded and Bangkok is gradually drying out. In some communities, especially squatter communities, children and family are slowly returning home, but there are still difficult times ahead, rebuilding homes and lives. Peuan Puean and our partners will continue working together more than ever to ensure that children are able to access their basic rights and we in Peuan Peuan will continue our work in building their futures!!!!’
