Junior Goodwill Ambassador Name Six in Madagascar Camps

Junior goodwill ambassador named six visited child victims of the recent natural disaster
in child friendly spaces setup by UNICEF in or next to camps for those displaced by the
cyclones and related flooding. Cyclone Ivan, the strongest so far tore Madagascar on the
17th of February bringing severe damage in its wake. More than 330,000 people are
known to have been affected including around 20,000 people in the capital. One in every
five victims is a child under five years old. As part of its emergency response, UNICEF
working with local authorities and NGO partners has setup these child friendly spaces to
provide care to affected children through a variety of different interventions.

Child friendly spaces also are for children and their families, basic health and education
services, alongside safe water, sanitation and hygiene. As well as protecting children
form harm and abuse, child friendly spaces also are important in allowing children who
have suffered the trauma of the cyclones and floods to have the opportunity to regain a
sense of calm and normality with the social workers on hand to aid the healing process.
In collaboration with its partners, UNICEF plans to setup at least another eight similar
spaces throughout Madagascar.

These spaces are just one element of UNICEF’s response to the emergency. Supporting
the Malagasi government, UNICEF are working at full capacity to respond to the
immediate needs of those affected through the provision of various health, nutrition,
education, protection and water sanitation and hygiene interventions to preserve their
basic human rights. This is Susana Mahlad reporting for UNICEF television, unite for
children.