A few months after the earthquake that killed 26,000 people and flattened much of Bam, Iran, the media have all gone. But World Vision remains, still helping some 50,000 residents - city dwellers and those in the surrounding villages - put their lives back together.

Jemella, a primary school teacher in the outlying village of Naartij before the quake, operated the World Vision's first 'child friendly space' there in the days after the tremors struck on Dec. 26, 2003. Now she is back to teaching - in a tent provided by World Vision, which also offered local children stationery and school bags to encourage them to return to school.

Besides helping to rebuild the local infrastructure - rehabilitating a total of five health care facilities and installing new latrines, showers and portable sanitation units - World Vision is also focusing on agricultural recovery, so farmers can once again earn a living from Bam's date plantations. One 13-km ghanat (water canal) has already been restored, providing much needed water, and World Vision is working on cleaning and rehabilitating three more.

As the three-month summer vacation period nears, World Vision is planning summer activities for children, to help occupy their time and improve their skills at coping with the devastation they have endured. The activities will also allow parents to focus on rebuilding their homes, their families and their communities.