Edinburgh charity in Libyan aid drive

A CHARITY has launched a support programme to help children in Libya overcome the trauma of this year’s conflict.

The programme is one of a range of projects being undertaken in the North African nation by the international development organisation Mercy Corps.

The Edinburgh-based charity has been active in the country since the beginning of the six-month uprising in February. Mercy Corps, as with all international charities, was previously blocked from working in Libya by the Gaddafi regime.

While its initial efforts centred around emergency relief work as the civil war developed, the charity has now turned its attention to civil society work and recovery.

Its psycho-social programme is concentrated in Misrata, the north-western city that was badly damaged after being held under siege during the fighting. The project is expected to run for up to 12 months, during which time it will help hundreds of children.