By Mariko Poorman | Project Officer
The following is our response report from Typhoon Bopha in December 2013. Thanks to the support of GlobalGiving and donors like you, were were able to assist 500 families on the Philippine island of Mindinao.
It's been six months, but communities are still struggling from this disaster. We will continue monitoring the situation and provide support to those who need the most.
Your contribution to the Philippines Disaster Response Fund will enable us to respond quickly to new disasters, and address unmet needs as we evaluate the progress of recovery.
Mari Poorman- Peace Winds America
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Dear Globalgiving supporters:
THANK YOU!! We have completed our Typhoon Bopha emergency response. Your contribution helped us to support 500 families with emergency packages and provide disaster preparedness training to 100 children.
Peace Winds America, together with our local partner, Citizen’s Disaster Response Center (CDRC), a Disaster Relief NGO based in the Philippines, and its regional center in the affected regions conducted relief supply distribution operations in Typhoon Pablo-affected communities in Bukidnon Province on Mindanao Island. The planned response goal was to help affected families cope with the immediate negative impacts of the disaster with the ultimate goal that the assistance would prevent further deterioration of their lives as they struggle to recover.
Community-wide effort to help five Communities:
Many relief organizations focused their relief operations in and around the Compostela Valley region. Our local partner, CDRC, initially concentrated their relief efforts in the Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental region. However, CDRC and its counterpart organization Panday Bulig (PB) soon recognized five communities which received very little assistance in the province of Bukidnon, and identified 500 families in two cities needing immediate attention. Peace Winds America decided to help CDRC’s relief effort in this area to help its underprivileged population. PB led the coordination and preparation of the relief delivery operations. Community members as well as volunteers from Health Bukidnon and KASAMA, a farmer’s organization joined PB and helped with packaging and distribution of relief goods! Your donations and volunteer action supported people in Cabangahan, Bangcud, Campuhan, Batangan and Poblacion.
Reaching out to over 100 children with psychosocial support!!
During relief package distribution, CDRC took the opportunity to provide psychosocial support for children staying at the evacuation shelter. These children witnessed their houses being swept away by the flood and have no idea where they might be relocated. By sharing and expressing their experiences through talking as well as drawing pictures among peers, children could better understand their current situation. Most of the children shared their experiences of the flood and strong winds that happened in their area.
What’s inside the relief package?
The PWA supported relief package contained basic foods items which could sustain an average family for one week. It also included basic items to help improve the quality of life for the family at the evacuation centers. The package included:
For the first three weeks after disaster struck the area, evacuees from these five communities received only 3 kilos of rice and noodles, and 3 cans of sardines from the government and other groups. “Christmas was so lonely, we just slept the night away,” said one of the beneficiaries. The mattress and blanket we provided were much appreciated, as most of the beneficiaries were forced to sleep on the cold cement floor or on the benches of the gym.
The serious situation continues:
Many families who lost houses lived by the river. They cannot go return to their home, because erosion from the flood took away their property. “We cannot go back to the area because our community is still submerged in the water,” one of the beneficiaries said. “We badly need shelter and food,” another one added.
Although Peace Winds America is concluding emergency relief operations for Typhoon Bopha at this time, we will continue monitoring the situation in the typhoon-affected areas with our local partners.
PWA would like to send most sincere appreciation to your generosity. With your help, we were able to provide critical supplies to 500 families.
Links:
By Mariko Poorman | Project Officer
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