UNICEF Appeals For $46.7Mln To Reach 100,000 Children Affected By Beirut Blast

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2020) The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is urging the international community to help fund its appeal for $46.7 million to help 100,000 children impacted by the massive blast in Beirut, UNICEF Lebanon Deputy Representative Violet Speek-Warnery said on Friday.

"It has been nearly 10 days since the devastating explosions at Beirut's port. The destruction, as you've all seen, is hard to fathom. And it happened in a context of an already collapsed economy, political instability and a surge in COVID-19 cases," Speek-Warnery said at a press briefing. "UNICEF's revised appeal to reach 100,000 children with support and assistance over the next three months is $46.7 million Dollars."

She explained that the appeal seeks to keep children safe by providing mental health and psychosocial support, setting up child-friendly spaces in affected areas, and rehabilitating the basic essential services, among other things.

Speek-Warnery said the appeal would cover the rehabilitation of 16 damaged Primary health care centers.

"The revised appeal will provide training and resources to equip thousands more adolescents with the skills they need - whether it is carpentry, or plumbing or construction - to be part of the effort to rebuild their country," she added. "With resources and tools provided by UNICEF, the work done so far by young volunteers, to clean debris, deliver food and water, even sew face masks - has been perhaps the most inspiring and hopeful aspect of the response thus far."

On August 4, the powerful blast took place in the port of the Lebanese capital, killing over 170 people and injuring thousands more. According to the authorities, the explosion was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, confiscated by the customs services in 2014, and stored in the port since then. Multiple countries and international organizations have already offered their assistance in dealing with the consequences of the blast.