Cyclone-proof food, climate resilient schools and aid delivering drones are just some of the ways Save the Children has been tackling the impacts of the climate crisis on children in 2024.
LONDON/GENEVA, 19 December 2024: Cyclone-proof food, climate resilient schools and aid delivering drones are just some of the ways Save the Children has been tackling the impacts of the climate crisis on children in 2024.
This year, about one in eight children globally have been significantly impacted by the 10 biggest extreme weather events - having to flee their homes, becoming reliant on aid or missing out on school [1]. The World Meteorological Organisation has estimated the number of global extreme weather events has increased five-fold in the past 50 years.
With extreme weather events becoming more frequent and severe, the aid organisation is at the forefront of supporting children and their families to survive and adapt.
Here are five ways we are tackling the impacts of the climate crisis on children:
VANUATU: Cyclone-proof food keeps cupboards stocked after disaster strikes
Food grown in Vanuatu, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change induced disasters, can now be preserved and stored for use in emergencies as part of a Save the Children project that is cyclone proofing communities against the impacts of the climate crisis [2].
Back-to-back category 4 cyclones hit Vanuatu in March 2023, causing widespread destruction to homes, buildings and backyard gardens which the predominantly rural population relies on for food security and income generation.
This new project involves turning locally grown fruits, vegetables, chicken and fish into shelf-ready ration pack meals using modern food preservation technology. The preserved food can be stored for up to two years, ensuring the community can still access nutritious meals, even in the aftermath of extreme weather events that may damage or destroy crops and backyard garden livelihoods. The project has also supported the community to test other methods of food preservation and stockpiling.
BANGLADESH: ‘Boat of Affection’ brings maternal health care to isolated communities
Pregnant women living in climate-affected communities in Bangladesh are getting maternal and newborn healthcare by boat [3].
About five million people live in the riverine sand and silt landmasses known as char. They are vulnerable to extreme weather events like drought and flooding – which is severe during the monsoon season - and can leave many cut-off or facing long, difficult journeys to access health care.
Save the Children is trying to reduce the number of maternal and newborn deaths by operating a medical boat called ‘Mamotar Tori’ or ‘The Boat of Affection’ that brings midwives to villages when they are only accessible by water or in a medical emergency. The boat is equipped with a bed, oxygen, emergency supplies and can be used to provide emergency transport to hospital.
Globally, 24 million mothers will give birth without a midwife, nurse or doctor this year and 28 million will give birth outside a health facility, which puts newborns and their mothers in danger, according to analysis by Save the Children. [4].
PAKISTAN: Climate resilient school keeps children learning through crises
A new climate resilient school built to withstand extreme weather has opened in Pakistan’s Sindh province, where just one in five of the nearly 20,000 schools that were destroyed or damaged in catastrophic flooding two years ago have been or are being rebuilt. More than 1,700 people lost their lives in Pakistan in the 2022 floods, which displaced around 8 million people [5].
The school, built by Save the Children, replaces a building that was destroyed in 2022 and is designed to withstand flooding, with high ceilings and increased ventilation to keep students cool during intense heatwaves, and with solar panels to provide sustainable, uninterrupted electricity.
Intense heatwaves are also jeopardising children’s health and their rights. Temperatures exceeding 45°C in parts of Sindh led to more than 15,700 people in the province being treated for heat related illnesses between May and July and the closure of schools for more than half of the country’s school-aged children.
INDIA: Lifesaving aid delivery by drone during climate fuelled emergencies
A drone that can deliver food, water, and medical supplies to hard-to-reach communities has been piloted by Save the Children, known as Bal Raksha Bharat in India [6].
Many communities in Himachal Pradesh in Northern India are still reeling from last year’s floods and landslides which affected around 125,000 people, including over 36,000 children, and resulted in more than 400 deaths – and this year India has seen more erratic and extreme weather due to the climate crisis, including one of its worst heatwaves on record.
The drone – which can travel over 12 miles and carry up to 20kg of essential supplies - is able to access areas blocked by landslides and fly over roads submerged by floods to deliver potentially lifesaving aid. After testing by Bal Raksha Bharat, the drone has now been handed over to local government officials.
MALAWI: Early-warning health systems to combat climate-aggravated illnesses
Malaria is the fifth biggest cause of death in Malawi , with transmission driven by high temperatures, rainfall and humidity. Increased flooding is also likely to spread malaria and other vector-borne diseases, as well as diarrhoeal diseases like cholera – the seventh biggest cause of death in Malawi [7].
The new project - a US$37 million initiative by the Green Climate Fund, the Government of Malawi, and Save the Children and its partners - will support the establishment of an Early Warning and Response System (EWARS), an integrated climate and health surveillance to predict outbreaks and surges of climate-sensitive diseases and conditions.
The project will benefit about 1.7 million people - 22% of the population - in southern Malawi over the next five years, with a focus on women, children and other vulnerable groups who are most affected by climate shocks such as cyclones, floods and droughts.
Notes to editors
Multimedia content for Bangladesh, Pakistan and India stories here: www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SMNSZHT
Links to full stories:
For interview requests and further information please contact:
Rachel Thompson, Regional Media Manager, Asia, rachel.thompson@savethechildren.org
Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Global Media Manager, Asia, amy.lefevre@savethechildren.org
Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409
Please also check our X account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements, and location Vlogs.
