Typhoon Haiyan Relief – Project Update
Providing Kitchen Starter Kits to 600 Affected Households on Biliran Island, Philippines
Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) devastated the Philippines when it made landfall in early November, taking over 5,700 lives as it ripped through the middle of the country.
Over 1,700 people are still missing as the Government of the Philippines, the United Nations and a range of NGOs work to provide relief for affected communities through the distribution of food, medical supplies and other emergency goods. Despite these efforts, the scale of the damage is so vast that many areas are still not receiving adequate assistance, leaving tens of thousands of survivors in need.
Peace Boat Disaster Relief Volunteer Center (PBV) dispatched an advanced team to the Philippines on November 15th, where they assessed the Manila, Cebu and Leyte Island areas and established contact with a number of partner organisations. PBV’s representatives also assisted survivors through the provision of meals and healthcare/hygiene supplies, such as wheelchairs, to help evacuees in emergency shelters.
Going forward, PBV will be dispatching a number of staff and volunteers to bolster our relief efforts on the ground. The focus of our project will be Biliran Island, just north of Leyte Island, which has been largely neglected by governmental bodies and international aid agencies.
PBV’s staff and volunteers will be distributing kitchen starter kits (including pots, pans, kitchen utensils, kettles, etc.), as well as other relief supplies, to approximately 600 affected households with the most urgent needs on the island. This project will be conducted in partnership with international humanitarian aid NGO Church World Service (CWS) and local NGO Pampanga Disaster Response Network (PDRN).
Biliran Island, located in between Leyte Island and Samar Island, was formerly a part of Leyte Island but was declared an independent Province in 1992. The island, with a population of over 140,000, has not been included in the international aid agency cluster meetings as a target area for assistance, leaving tens of thousands of survivors in extremely severe conditions with little help. An astounding 70% of homes on the island (over 110, 000) sustained damage and over 1,200 homes were totally destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan.
Please help us provide kitchen starter kits to families on Biliran Island by clicking on the link below and making a donation:
http://www.peaceboat-us.org/get-involved/make-a-donation/
