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UNICEF Jamaica has allocated US$1 million to support immediate emergency response in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which struck the island as a Category 5 storm. The funding will help deliver urgent assistance to children and families affected by the widespread devastation. The hurricane has left thousands of families displaced, with homes destroyed and critical infrastructure severely damaged. More than 284,000 children are now in urgent need of support in the areas of health, education, nutrition, and protection. Access to clean water, and essential services has been disrupted, placing children and women at heightened risk. “Yesterday, we were on our way to Black River in St Elizabeth, one of the hardest hit areas but the roads were blocked with fallen trees and power lines and this prevented us from reaching the most affected communities,” said Olga Isaza, Representative, UNICEF Jamaica. UNICEF is responding swiftly to support the government and other partners to assess the needs and deliver pre-positioned supplies including food, clean water, medicines, and emergency hygiene kits. Additional humanitarian aid is ready to be airlifted. UNICEF is calling on individual donors, the private sector, and philanthropic partners to stand in solidarity with the children of Jamaica. The most effective way to help is through flexible funding, which enables rapid and targeted support where it is needed most. “Together, we can make a real difference,” Ms Isaza emphasized while adding that the support from donors will ensure that children not only survive this crisis but have the chance to recover quickly from this traumatic natural disaster.
