Earthquake of China

In the midst of three days of national mourning for earthquake victims, Mercy Corps is on the ground assisting survivors. We have procured and delivered critical supplies — such as water, noodles, milk and shelter items — to displaced families who have lost their homes. We are now coordinating plans for longer-term recovery and reconstruction, and are especially focused on education, counseling and activities for youth.

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Last Monday's 7.9 magnitude tremor, which was focused in China's Sichuan Province, is estimated to have killed at least 40,000 people — and that toll has kept rising. In cities near the earthquake's epicenter, rescue crews continue to sift through the rubble of collapsed buildings in search of approximately 32,000 people who are still missing.

The Chinese government estimates that at least 436,000 homes have been destroyed, and there reports that almost five million people are homeless.

Mercy Corps, through its local partners All China Youth Federation (ACYF) and China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) , is mounting an emergency response for survivors. Together, we have procured critical supplies such as food, water, clothing and shelter supplies and delivered them to affected families. We have deployed experienced staff members from our Beijing and U.S. headquarters offices to help coordinate efforts.

Mercy Corps is also coordinating shipments of much-needed pharmaceuticals and other critical medical supplies to affected areas.

In addition, our team is finalizing plans for longer-term programming with our local partners. There are great needs for temporary schools, counseling and other activities for children in earthquake-shattered rural areas.

To serve these needs, we will be helping children and youth recover through our Comfort For Kids and Moving Forward Sports for Youth programs. We are translating "My Earthquake Story" — a variation on the "My Hurricane Story" workbook that was widely used in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina — into Mandarin Chinese and adapting it specifically for children in Sichuan Province. Senior-level psychologists, including the Chinese American Psychoanalytic Alliance (CAPA), are working with Mercy Corps on the adaptations, translations and training for local teachers and other caregivers. This workbook is appropriate for children of all ages, from toddlers through older youth. Thousands of copies will be distributed as part of the psychosocial program that we're planning to initiate in affected areas.

Two additional staff members are headed to China to help begin and implement psychosocial activities. Through its Comfort for Kids methodology — developed with Bright Horizons, the renowned early childhood education company — Mercy Corps has worked with post-trauma children around the world in trying to help them regain some sense of normalcy.

Mercy Corps has been assisting families and vulnerable communities in China since 2001. One of our programs — Project GLOW, supported by the Nike Foundation — is centered in Sichuan Province, the epicenter of the earthquake. We have confirmed that our staff and partners in the area are safe.