When disaster strikes, children are the most vulnerable.
In the aftermath of a disaster, children face not only the immediate risks of hunger, disease and displacement, but also the long journey of recovery that follows. We know that rebuilding safe childhoods goes far beyond delivering emergency supplies. True recovery means helping children regain stability, education, mental health and community connection. That’s why our child recovery programs extend long after the first response, ensuring children are supported through every stage of their healing.
Why recovery is more than just rebuilding homes
Food, water and shelter are vital in the first days after an earthquake, flood or cyclone. And donations support our disaster-preparedness work, which helps communities get ready for emergency responses, with pre-positioned supplies that can make a life-saving difference when disaster strikes. For example:
- $25 could help three children receive lifesaving diarrhoea treatment.
- $50 could help four children receive a week's supply of high-nutrient peanut paste.
- $75 could help nine children receive urgent treatment for deadly pneumonia.
- $100 could help 20 children receive a mosquito net to protect them from malaria.
But once the immediate needs are met, children still face enormous challenges. Many lose their schools, safe play spaces, and even their families. Without continued support, these losses can affect their development and wellbeing for years to come. That’s why recovery for children is about restoring a sense of safety, routine and belonging, so they can grow, learn and thrive again.
How Save the Children supports long-term child recovery
Save the Children’s approach is grounded in more than 100 years of experience responding to crises worldwide. From the very beginning, our disaster response includes plans for long-term support. This means:
- reuniting children with family members and strengthening community protection systems.
- providing education kits and repairing damaged schools.
- offering child-friendly spaces where children can play, learn and receive counselling.
- supporting parents with livelihoods and recovery resources so children are cared for at home.
Because these things take a long time, our work doesn’t stop when headlines fade – we stay for as long as children need us, ensuring recovery is sustainable and rooted in local solutions.
Reopening schools, restoring hope
Going back to class is one of the strongest signals to a child that recovery has begun. Education re-establishes routine, restores social connections and protects against exploitation. In Myanmar, after earthquakes destroyed more than 2,500 schools in March 2025, Save the Children helped repair buildings and provided children with education kits containing essentials like notebooks, pencils and school bags. By ensuring learning continues, even in temporary classrooms, we help children see that their future is still within reach.
Mental health and play: tools for healing
Disasters often leave invisible scars. Children who have experienced violence, loss or displacement may suffer from anxiety, fear or trauma. That’s why psychosocial support is central to our long-term support programs.
Through child-friendly spaces, play-based activities, and access to trained counsellors, children can begin to process their experiences and regain confidence. These interventions build resilience, teaching children that healing is possible even in the most difficult circumstances.
Working with communities to build back better
Communities are the first responders when disaster strikes, and the foundation of recovery that lasts. Save the Children partners with local leaders, families and organisations to design recovery programs that reflect cultural values and real needs. This includes everything from safe water systems to child protection networks. By empowering communities, we ensure children are protected not just today, but also when the next crisis comes. Our recovery work strengthens local resilience, reducing risks and creating safer environments for children to grow.
Every child deserves to feel safe again
No child should lose their right to safety, learning or play because of a disaster. And thanks to our kind supporters, Save the Children can stand beside children long after the first days of crisis – helping them heal, rebuild, and look ahead with confidence. Together, we can help make sure every child survives, recovers and thrives. Because recovery is about giving children their childhoods back.
With your support we can help rebuild safe childhoods together. Please donate now.