SOS Children's Villages is all set to begin its emergency relief efforts for children and families affected by the worst floods to hit Bolivia in 25 years. Approximately 70,000 families in the rural regions of the Santa Cruz and Beni districts are affected, and many have had to abandon their homes and possessions.

Alfonso Lupo, national director of SOS Children's Villages in Bolivia, said the emergency relief efforts of SOS Children's Villages will focus on providing food and medicine for affected families, as well as providing protection and education for children in the districts of Santa Cruz and Beni.

So far, some 500 emergency parcels have been prepared including items such as milk, cereals, canned food, kitchen utensils, candles, matches, tools, hygiene products, medicine and school books. SOS Children's Villages will shortly be preparing a further 500 such boxes.

In addition, SOS Children's Villages plans on providing day-care for the children of flood victims. Two day-care centres will go into operation shortly for approximately 450 children.

SOS Children's Villages operates nine children's villages, as well as several social and educational programmes, throughout Bolivia. These include projects in the flood-hit district of Santa Cruz, which have remained largely unscathed by the natural disaster and all continue to operate.

The childminding programmes organised by the SOS Social Centre in Santa Cruz, are also still running although many employees are having trouble reaching their workplaces because the floods have cut-off many areas of the district.