QUEZON City, Nov. 17, 2013— An environmental group has launched a toy campaign to help child survivors from typhoon Yolanda overcome their trauma and anxiety.
The EcoWaste Coalition has called on the public to donate new or used toys, and books to replace what the children have lost because of the typhoon.
Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition said having toys to play with and books to read will help the children cope with their current situation.
“While we know that the support and encouragement from adults is key to enabling affected kids cope with the mounting death and despair around them, we believe that books to read and toys to play with can help them face the tragedy with more hopefulness,” Lucero said in a press release.
“In the absence of child counselors and therapists in many of the typhoon-wrecked communities, and with the support systems in churches, schools and villages still in disarray, it’s important for these kids to have something to cheer them up amid the destruction,” she added.
Lucero said they have already a few boxes of clean toys left over from previous activities but they need to collect more.
She also reminded donors not to give broken toys “as such toys might only hurt the kids or add to negative emotions instead of instilling positive attitudes among them.”
Lucero also requested donors to refrain from giving toys made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, and things that children can put into their mouths, to avoid potential ingestion of harmful chemical additives.
The group said it will examine the toys for chemical and potential hazards before sending them to child survivors through church, community or professional associations.
The donated toys will be screened using a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer to determine if the toys given are safe from toxic metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury, the group said.
The group said donations of toys and books can be sent to their office at Unit 329, Eagle Court, 26 Matalino St., Barangay Central, Quezon City until November 30, 2013. (CBCPNews)
