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© UNICEF/China/Jerry Liu March 30, 2010: Children in Dashuijin Village of Luoping County, Yunnan Province. Children here have not been able to bathe for many days due to acute water shortage.

March 31, 2010 – The UNICEF China Office is working with the Government of China to rush supplies to schools and communities in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces where the onset of severe drought has caused drinking water shortages for millions.

Up to now, a total of 100,000 US dollars has been donated by the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF. The funds will be used especially to help children in boarding schools who are severely affected by the drought.

According to government authorities, more than 3.6 million students and teachers from the two worst-hit provinces are suffering from shortages of drinking water and leafy vegetables. Remote rural boarding schools are worst affected. The children have been left with insufficient water to take care of personal hygiene. Some children have been unable to take a bath for months.

© UNICEF/China/Jerry Liu March 30, 2010: A boy bites a plant stem in Dashuijin Village of Luoping County, Yunnan Province.

UNICEF's initial interventions will support transportation of water by tanker to remote communities and boarding schools, provision of water purification chemicals, and support for improved hygiene in schools where water is in short supply.

In the next few days, an assessment team will go to the worst drought stricken areas to assess the need for further assistance.