We coordinated with the Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide our package to the four target communities that we are now registered to work with.  Before we arrived, these families had received 2-3 days-worth of rice, sardines and noodles. It had to last them more than two weeks. With the 5 – 7 kgs of rice we distributed, households will now have enough for 1-2 more weeks. We also provided some essential non-food-items (such as hygiene supplies and bedding) to replace what the storm surge washed away.

I have not had a lot of sleep. It took us three days through quite a circuitous route to get the goods from Southern Luzon, where suppliers were more available, to the target locations in Guiuan, Tacloban, Tolosa and Estancia.

It has all been worth it, though, to know that families in need now have food and other assistance.

In the large photo above we are unloading one of three different trucks that we used to transport  the commodities to the three different locations. Our fourth location is on another island, Panay. Panay was not as completely affected by Typhoon Haiyan as some other islands, so we were able to procure goods locally and distribute items the same day.

On the day of our distributions at the other three sites, the weather was hot but people lined up patiently. The CRCP has done emergency distributions previously for Typhoon Washi in 2010 and Typhoon Bopha in 2012. They were very organized and prepared to carry out this one.

We had a three station system. Beneficiaries started by registering at the first station. Here, volunteers would cross reference the beneficiaries name with one on the list that we had painstakingly put together with community leaders which outlined those most in need. Next, the families would move on to a station where they could pick up numbered coupons.  At the last station, families turned in their coupons to receive their goods.

Many families expressed their gratitude to me for the food and supplies. I pass that along to you. Thank you for making this assistance possible through your prayers and gifts.

As the next stage in World Renew’s response, we plan to provide stoves to cook food on, kitchen utensils, and mosquito nets. After that, we hope to begin to provide temporary shelter such as tarps and tents.

Please continue to keep World Renew, the CRCP, and the people of the Philippines in your prayers.

Blessings,

Grace Wiebe

Senior Disaster Response Manager
World Renew Disaster Response & Rebabilitation