3 organizations combine efforts to support Covid – 19 – affected children

SOS Children’s Villages Liberia, Save the Children, and Plan International have joined forces to support the Government of Liberia in the fight against coronavirus to support children affected by the outbreak of the virus.

“There are parents who are affected and are held at the COVID-19 isolation center located at the 14 Military Hospital along with their children and there are a lot of debates about what to do for them,” Augustine A. Allieu, SOS Children’s Villages Liberia National Director says at the office of Madam Mary Broh, the head of the COVID-19 Response Task Force

Whether to separate the children from their parents who are already affected or to provide support while they are with their parents, Mr. Allieu says why these debates are ongoing, the three organizations are joining forces – for children can’t wait.

“We thought that these children require immediate relief, care, and support while the health experts and authorities are thinking about medium to long term solutions for these children,” he laments.

According to him, the joining forces for children has gathered food items, educational materials, hygiene kits, toiletries and toys and games for the children and their caregivers.
He adds that they are collaborating under the psychosocial pillar of COVID-19 response, which is led by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

Mr. Allieu maintains that joining forces for children would like to do more to ensure that more children are protected from harm and abuse, especially at this time.
For his part, Mr. Joseph Yarsiah, Country Director for Save the Children Liberia says there has never been a time when a child lives at risk than this particular moment.

“We came together to provide supplies for at least two months, this is an initial contribution. We also envision if the crisis escalates we will lobby to get more supplies,” he discloses.

Mr. Mohamed Kamal, representing Plan International in Liberia uses the occasion to thank the government, NGOs, and the media for the level of support in responding to the COVID-19 threat.
“As international organizations, our work is to support the effort of the government. This is why we are here today,” he adds.

Receiving the items on government’s behalf, Madam Mary Broh, Head of the COVID-Response Taskforce thanks SOS Liberia, Save the Children and Plan International for the collaboration.

“SOS Children’s Villages has been around for some time now and they have produced some of our country’s brightest talents, some of which are in government today and contributing to society,” she notes.She appeals to the media to also follow the work of the NGOs to know what they are doing.

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Mrs. Wilhelmina Piso Saydee-Tarr also expresses her gratitude to the Joining Forces For Children alliance for their collaboration to support the children of Liberia through the ministry.

“We can’t focus on a certain segment of the population and forget about another group,” says Minister Tarr.

She says while it’s true that older persons are mostly affected by COVID-19 disease, children are also very much affected in several ways.

“They need our care and support now more than ever before”, she says, as she outlines some of the areas of collaboration and support provided by SOS Liberia to youth, children, and their families in communities.—Press release