Kerala saw the unprecedented flood in a century, with some hilly districts also facing the landslides. The situation was aggravated by the release of water from 32 dams in the state.

While Caritas India has been responding in several districts, Thrissur district is geared up to deliver child focusedresponse through institution of Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) in 13 villages of 8 blocks. The response will directly cover 1000 infants and 2000 school going children, with baby kits and educational and recreation support, while indirectly, many more children will be covered through the CFS. The orientation of volunteers happened on September 27, by an external resource person from Save the Children, as part of collaborative humanitarian action.

The reports of traumatised children, fearing helicopters that rescued them, water, collapse of their houses and anganwadis, from different parts of the districts, ascertained the need for CFS. While the schools have reopened and many anganwadis have started functioning, the CFS will provide a safe place to the children of all ages to express their suppressed feelings, and fears, through a multiple way of fun and play way methods, in a manner that doesn’t disrupt their regular schooling and Anganwadi activities. Besides, the village level child protection committees will be identified and activated to enable community based child protection mechanisms post response. A series of orientation for partners have happened in September, and the process of appointing CFS facilitators and seeking necessary permissions will be expedited in days to come. The CFS programme being a temporary arrangement will run until November.