(Richmond, VA, Wednesday, August 19, 2020) – As the world reels from the COVID-19 pandemic, ChildFund is gravely concerned about the impact of the disease on the children and families. The child-focused international development organization has undertaken urgent efforts to protect vulnerable children.

ChildFund’s COVID-19 Response Plan focuses on children’s immediate needs, including health, food, safety, and stability. The plan has four priorities:

1. Stop COVID-19 from infecting children and families.
2. Ensure that children get the food they need.
3. Keep children safe from violence — physically and emotionally.
4. Help children continue learning.

As families lose their income sources due to illness or collapsed livelihoods, the inability to afford food and other basic needs means that children’s health and development suffer. As stressors brought about by the virus increase, the risks of abuse and domestic violence rise, causing great harm to children’s development. Interruptions to education will make it harder for children to return to the classroom, and child labor or early marriage may keep them from ever resuming their education at all.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its extensive collateral damage stand to multiply these risks to children, with long-lasting impacts. ChildFund’s COVID-19 Response Plan aims to stop the spread of the virus and mitigate its potential harms to vulnerable children.

ChildFund International works throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas — including the United States – to connect children with what they need to grow up safe, healthy, educated and skilled, no matter where they are. Last year, ChildFund International reached 13.6 million children and family members in 24 countries. About 200,000 Americans support their work by sponsoring individual children or investing in ChildFund programs. Find out more at http://www.ChildFund.org.