Summary: A group of children has teamed up with renowned film-maker Govind Nihalani and international children’s agency, Plan, to produce a short film about their experiences during the tsunami and the subsequent reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.
[Chennai, India] - A group of children has teamed up with renowned film-maker Govind Nihalani and international children’s agency, Plan, to produce a short film about their experiences during the tsunami and the subsequent reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts. Plan says involving tsunami-affected children in rebuilding their communities and addressing their fears and needs helps them through the psychological recovery process.
The 16-minute film, Tsunami before and after, provides children with a platform to voice their opinions about the tsunami, and is just one of the ways that Plan has been working with children from the Tamil Nadu coastal region of India in the aftermath of the tragedy.
“The film articulates children’s response to the tsunami. Their assessment of what has been done and what needs to be done must be taken seriously. They must play a significant role in the decision making process,” said Mr Nihalani, whose credits include the award-winning films Junoon and Aakrosh and who worked with Richard Attenborough on Gandhi.
Immediately following the tsunami last December, Plan coordinated emergency relief work and is now implementing long-term rehabilitation projects to support children, their families and communities affected by the disaster. The organisation has found that child and community participation is key to addressing the psychological distress caused by disasters.
Bruno Oudmayer, Plan India Country Director said:
“Our aim is to restore the lives of tsunami-affected children, their parents and their communities in an effective and sustainable way to pre-tsunami standards, or better. To make sure that our activities reflect what children want and need, we ensure that children have a say; we consult with boys and girls, as well as with other community members before we finalise our long-term plans.”
Plan has so far:
· Set up 80 child care centres in the worst-hit villages, which have provided trauma counselling for orphaned and vulnerable children, nutritious food, school kits and a health and hygiene program. To date, more than 2,400 children across the region have benefited from the centres;
· Set up 31 children’s clubs, which support and counsel children through cultural activities such as song and dance. Children have created and performed shows for their communities as part of mass trauma counselling sessions;
· Begun building work on more than 770 permanent houses in villages across Tamil Nadu, which have incorporated children’s ideas in the designs;
· Worked on initiatives to get children into school by supplying bicycles and providing school uniforms and equipment.
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Note to editors
The children’s film, Tsunami before and after, will be screened at a press conference on Friday 23 September at 12:00 (local time) at the Hotel Ramada Raj Park, 180 TTK Road, Alwarpet, Chennai - 600 018, India. International cinematographer Govind Nihalani, along with a group of the young film-makers, will introduce the film. The children will also talk about their role in the post-tsunami recovery process.
For further information or to set up an interview, contact: Christina Georgiou, Media Officer, International Headquarters. Tel: + 44 (0) 1483 733 285 or 44 (0) 7985 440 238. Email: christina.georgiou@plan-international.org.
The film made by the children is the latest production of the Children have something to say film project. This is a unique child media project that empowers children to make films on issues affecting their lives. Launched in 2000, the project has enabled children throughout India to make 45 films to date. The film project was winner of the international One World Media Awards, Special Recognition Category, 2003.
Plan began its work in India in 1979, and is today one of the largest international non-governmental organizations working in the country. Plan India now works in 11 states in India, through 14 NGO Partners and 21 Program Units in India. Structurally, Plan is organized into a country office in New Delhi, a North India program office within the country office in New Delhi, a South India program office located in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, and a Tsunami Disaster Response office in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
