Save the Children Australia is responding in Bangladesh following a devestating cyclone. Please find below some details regarding this campaign and join Manhattan Nails in supporting their works :

THE SITUATION

A super Category 4 storm, Tropical Cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh on Thursday November 15, 2007. The storm (measuring 350 miles in diameter) first struck at Hiron Point in the Sundarbans area of the Kulna Division, immediately adjacent to Barisal where Save the Children has extensive programming.

An estimated 17 Districts from the Divisions of Khulna, Barisal and Chittagong were the most affected. Approximately 3 million people were evacuated prior to the cyclone reaching land.

“Many families have lost everything, including their homes and their crops, and they are struggling to survive,” said Save the Children US Bangladesh Country Director Kelly Stevenson. “We are appealing to the public to support our efforts to assist children and families affected by this disaster. We remain very concerned about possible outbreaks of cholera and severe diarrhea due to the lack of access to clean water.”

Save the Children was one of few humanitarian agencies with emergency responders positioned in the path of the storm, remote and low-lying areas still recovering from extreme flooding last summer. In coordination with local authorities Save the Children has dispatched 19 assessment teams to evaluate damages and needs.

WHY WE NEED YOU

Initial assessments of the affected areas show the crucial need for food and non-food items, clean drinking water and sanitation systems, and medical assistance in the prevention of disease outbreak. There are presently millions of affected people with immediate needs to be met.

As in most disasters, children have been severely affected by the effects of the cyclone. Many children have lost their homes and are now displaced, creating a sense of insecurity. Some may also have lost family members and friends. Schools and health centers have been damaged and destroyed, creating a need for education and health services and protective environments.

The Save the Children Alliance is aiming to raise US$5 million globally and we need your help now.

Please, give whatever you can, so that Save the Children can provide assistance in the form of supplies, shelter material, clean water, food, medical assistance and relief items.

Donate online now, download a donation form here or call us on 1800 76 00 11.

Thank you for your generosity!

Margaret Douglas
Chief Executive
Save the Children Australia