KATHMANDU: In the wake of the April 25 earthquake and its subsequent aftershocks, a consortium of child-focused humanitarian organisations, including Plan International, Save the Children and World Vision, has said that they are responding to the needs of affected populations through joint distribution of emergency shelter and essential household items, with funding provided by the EU’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department. “Led by Plan International, the project will be based in the west and central development regions of Nepal, and aims to meet the basic survival and urgent shelter needs of earthquake-affected families. Distribution items will include sleeping mats, blankets, solar lamp, tarpaulins and two bundles of Corrugated Galvanized Iron sheet,” a press released issued by the consortium said today. According to the release, the project aims to ensure that households whose homes are destroyed or uninhabitable and that do not have alternative shelter arrangements receive basic shelter support, particularly in the monsoon season. The shelter materials will enable households to start building temporary shelter, before transitioning to more sustainable housing solutions. Relief operations began immediately after the earthquake and the consortium distributed tarpaulins and other items to affected families as an initial phase of the response. “In order to fulfill the needs of the affected population and to reach the most vulnerable, the ECHO-funded consortium will now provide shelter kits and essential households items to areas where almost all of the houses are destroyed or damaged beyond repair. Through this project, Plan International, Save the Children and World Vision will reach 4,300 households.,” it informed. “During the shelter distribution, agencies will make sure that distributions are accessible and safe, whilst provision for the most vulnerable groups, including women and girls, female-headed households, lower castes and the elderly, are considered,” said Zinat Ara Begum, Consortium lead from Plan International.