Emergencies
Girls wading through flood water in Ecuador
From providing disaster relief to running recovery projects, Plan works to protect the rights of children and young people during emergencies, ensuring their immediate and long-term needs are met.
Plan mobilizes people and resources quickly when disaster strikes in countries where we’re working and are known for the effectiveness of our humanitarian relief efforts.
With our extensive relationships and knowledge of communities, local structures and institutions, Plan is best placed to help children, their families and communities when disaster strikes.
Child protection is central to our work. We provide children with safe spaces, education and emotional support as a priority in our immediate disaster response.
Rebuilding lives
Children recover from disasters more quickly when they are involved in rebuilding their community. We ensure that children take part in our disaster response and have a significant voice in the decision-making.
For example, following the 2004 tsunami that devastated communities across south Asia, Plan India involved local children in designing new environmentally-friendly houses and villages in Villupuram. Plan Sri Lanka worked with children to design a landmark child-friendly school in Hambantota.
Reducing risks
Preparation can make all the difference when the worst happens. Plan works with children, their families and communities to identify disaster risks and strengthen their resilience. We also work with partners at all levels to help prevent and reduce the impact of emergencies.
In a flood-prone area of Bangladesh, for example, Plan-supported children's groups were concerned that parents seldom saved for emergencies, making them very vulnerable. Now the children have set up their own savings plans to help their families buy food and other supplies when the floods return.
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Case studies
Plan is recognized as a lead agency in child-centred disaster risk reduction globally. Plan works to teach children the skills to protect themselves and communities from the worst when a natural disaster occurs.
Since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Plan has worked side by side with children and their families to rebuild lives, communities and futures in affected areas of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. See how we empowered young people to take active roles in their recovery.
In the critical days and weeks following China’s Sichuan earthquake, Plan provided more than 5,300 people with food and temporary shelter. Today we are helping communities rebuild what was lost and plan a better future for their children.