Japan contributes $7 million to support children in Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Japan contributed about $7 million to UNICEF to provide vulnerable children and their families in earthquake- and conflict-affected areas in Syria with clean water, good sanitation, hygiene supplies, and education services.
The UNICEF said in a press release, citing Hirofumi Miyake, Charge d’Affaires and Special Coordinator for Syria, “Japan remains committed to support conflict- and earthquake-affected children in Syria.”
The contribution will help in rehabilitating water facilities (including elevated water tanks, networks, pumping stations, treatment plants) and sanitation networks damaged as the result of the earthquakes.
It also will help children to get education through school rehabilitation and temporary learning spaces, provide non-formal education for out-of-school children and children at risk of dropping out, and build capacity of teachers and education personnel.
The contribution will “help to restore systems to deliver essential basic services for more than a half million of children and their families,” said Yasumasa Kimura, UNICEF Syria Representative.
Prior to the earthquakes that struck Syria on Feb. 6, children in Syria were already struggling to cope amid 12 years of sustained conflict. The earthquakes exacerbated the situation by causing extensive damage to the critical infrastructure and affecting more than 8.8 million people, including 3.7 million children.
On March 6, the UNICEF said that more than 500.000 people in Syria have been displaced by the earthquake.