Austin, TX—February 27, 2013— The Children’s Project International (TCPI) takes great pride in applauding UNICEF’s effort to bring emergency assistance to people in need after weeks of conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) that affected 1.79 million people and left 800,000 in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

With the situation stabilizing, the priority is to reach communities that were inaccessible without adequate food, medicine, water, sanitation, hygiene, education and protection. Through a Rapid Response Mechanism, a system supported with €1.9 million from the European Commission’s Directorate General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) and other funds to pre-position supplies and set up agreements with partners, UNICEF is able currently to respond to the needs of 45,000 people or 9,000 families.

To scale up the immediate response, some 17 tons of supplies including medicine, water purification tablets, therapeutic food, cooking sets, tarpaulins, mosquito nets and other essential household items have arrived in CAR by air and another 52 tons will be arriving by road this week.

“From what we have seen in some of the hardest hit areas including N’dele, Bria, Bombari, and Kaga Bandoro, children are living in extremely precarious conditions. It is critical we reach them now with immediate assistance, but we urge all parties involved to make long-term welfare an urgent priority and a critical part of any political settlement,” stated Mr. Raj Luhar, Chief Executive Officer of TCPI.

Even before the recent outbreak of fighting, CAR was one of the poorest countries in the world ranked 179 out of 187 on Human Development Index. It has the ninth highest rate of child mortality in the world with 8 per cent of children aged 6-59 months suffering from moderate acute malnutrition and 1.9 percent with severe acute malnutrition.

About The Children’s Project International

The Children’s Project International undertakes charitable activities dedicated to improving the lives of the world’s children by providing life-sustaining goods and personally enriching tools. By leveraging the social consciousness of today’s youth, TCPI works to provide underprivileged and disenfranchised children with material relief and the belief in a better tomorrow.

For more information on The Children’s Project International, please visit: http://www.helpthemtoday.org

Contact: Ryan Steed
Phone: +1 512-651-3742 ext. 701
E-mail: [email protected]
www.helpthemtoday.org