Apia, Sunday 11 October, 2009. - The UN Children's Fund is working closely with the Samoan Government Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) to ensure that tsunami-affected children are able to resume their education as soon as possible.

A training programme for Samoan community support volunteers is helping tsunami-affected families provide the support their children need.

Following a call by the Governor of Padang for children to try and go back to school wherever possible, UNICEF has rapidly erected 15 temporary school tents with a planned 230 more to provide temporary learning areas in the city.

The recent tsunami has left a trail of devastation in much of Samoa. Reconstruction will take many months, if not years.

60 water storage bladders, 1,500 jerry cans and 868 hygiene kits supplied by UNICEF have arrived in Padang, Indonesia for distribution to families affected by the earthquake.

The welfare of 2,000 displaced children is among UNICEF's greatest concerns following the Pacific Tsunami. 40 villages were badly hit by the Tsunami in Samoa, and 20 destroyed including 5 schools.

Wellington, Oct 4 NZPA - The Government today doubled its contribution to relief efforts in Samoa and Tonga, putting forward a further $1 million.

Wellington, Oct 2 NZPA - New Zealanders have donated more than $350,000 to help victims in Samoa, Tonga and American Samoa hit by Wednesday morning's devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami, aid agencies report.

Those agencies include:

New Zealand is providing an initial $1million donation for immediate disaster relief efforts in Samoa and Tonga, Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced today.

UNICEF New Zealand today launched an urgent appeal to provide aid to the people of Samoa and Tonga following a devastating tsunami that swept the island nations.