A worker is tying a banner to a truck full of urgently needed supplies for children affected by the 5.7 magnitude Yunnan earthquake. The worst impacts of the disaster are centered on Yiliang County, which is one of the poorest counties in China.

Supplies for children are setting out from Beijing to Yiliang earthquake area on 18 Sept 2012. As a rapid response, UNICEF is providing hygiene kits, sports kits, and school supplies for students in Yiliang region.

Children play rocks in a temporary shelter in Yiliang County, Yunnan. At 7 September earthquake killed 81 and injured more than 800, wiped out 1,900 houses and severely damaged another 37,500. In Yiliang 257 schools have been severely damaged. Thousands of families are homeless and living in temporary shelters. (Photo by CFP)

A girl stands in front of the temporary shelter in Yiliang County, Yunnan Province. It’s very difficult for the vulnerable children to adapt the great changes brought on by natural disasters. One of the most urgent and challenging priorities is to quickly support the psycho-social needs of children. (Photo by CFP)

Children play at a temporary shelter after the powerful earthquake. UNICEF is working with the Yunnan Working Committee on Children and Women to set up 3 Child Friendly Spaces to provide long term psycho-social support interventions. Child Friendly Spaces are based on a model established with UNICEF support following the Wenchuan earthquake. (Photo by CFP)

Children in a resettlement camp play a group game at a UNICEF-supported Child Friendly Space shortly after the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008.36 of the original 40 Child Friendly Spaces set up at the time have now become permanent, locally funded centres for child protection services at the across Sichuan Province.

Working with government counterparts, UNICEF set up 40 Child Friendly Spaces to provide long-term psychosocial support after the 2008 earthquake. The Child Friendly Space model is an example of how post-disaster support can provide an opportunity to address pre-existing problems. The project has now gained a firm foothold in reconstructed communities as service centres for children. The model has also been adopted into China’s ten year National Plan of Action for Children.

Doudou (pseudonym), a girl orphaned by the quake, enjoys a happy time at a Child Friendly Space in Beichuan County, Sichuan Province. One year after the quake, she was bouncing back. "Now she is full of sunshine, riding her bicycle everywhere," said her grandfather.

On 18 September 2012 a worker is loading a box of UNICEF emergency supplies bound for Yiliang County in Yunnan Province. Included in these supplies are 3 rapidly deployed Child Friendly Space centers in classroom sized tents.

A worker is packing children’s sports and recreation kits to be used in Child Friendly Spaces to be established in Yiliang County. Included in the supplies are 9 sports kits to help children affected by the earthquake and heavy rains to have an opportunity to play and regain a sense of normalcy.

The sports kits will allow the children to play various games such as, badminton, Ping-Pong, football and so on. Playing games is one way for children to recover after losing their homes and possessions.

Health infrastructure in the county has suffered extensive damage. There is high incidence of diarrohea and fevers after the disaster. UNICEF is also sending hygiene kits for the children to reduce the risk of diseases.

Two workers are carrying a sports kit on the way to the affected area in Yunnan.

A fork lift is carrying well packed boxes of UNICEF emergency supplies to a waiting truck.

Loading of UNICEF emergency supplies being shipped to Yiliang County, Yunnan is almost finished. As soon as they arrive, the supplies will play an important role in helping children affected by the recent earthquake in the Yiliang area to gradually get back to a normal life.