How does Plans experience with children help in disaster relief and recovery?
When an emergency arises, Plan is uniquely prepared. We’ve been helping children since 1937 and have a well-established presence, in Asia, Africa and Latin America. What is more, we work with teams of local staff and community members that have firsthand knowledge of the situation. Our focus is on long-term sustainable development. When we go into communities, we go in for the long-term to ensure that basic requirements for the child’s welfare and development are met — education, health care, shelter, jobs, child protection and children’s rights. Our advantage in relief and recovery efforts lies in our long-term presence in affected communities. We know the families. We live among them, not for weeks or months, but for years, as long as it takes to achieve goals set by the children, their parents, schoolteachers, farmers, community leaders, and other community members. We know the local government and non-government organizations. We are part of the communities.
