World Renew has been blessed to be a part of this rebuilding story for the past year. Through its long-term partnership with the Christian Reformed Church in the Philippines, World Renew responded quickly to provide urgently-needed food (rice, mongo beans, sugar, canned meat, coffee, and milk) hygiene items, buckets, slippers, medical supplies and water filtration systems to 3,977 households within 17 days of the storm.
“When a disaster strikes, there is an immediate need for supplies,” explained World Renew’s Director of Disaster Response and Rehabilitation, Wayne de Jong. “The needs of disaster survivors don’t end with that initial distribution, however. That’s why World Renew’s emphasis has been to identify underserved communities and work alongside them throughout the entire recovery process.”
World Renew sent staff and volunteer International Relief Managers to meet with mayors, community leaders and other aid organizations to coordinate a long-term response. Based on these meetings, World Renew decided to focus its attention on seven municipalities on three islands that were underserved by other organizations.
The work of these offices has varied depending on the needs identified by the local community. Some of the first items provided, for example, were generators and solar lamps. This made it possible for people to recharge their cell phones and be in touch with loved ones. The solar lamps provided safety and security in the crowded communities of tents and makeshift shelters at night.
In the past year, World Renew has also distributed food, hygiene supplies, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, kitchen utensils, wash basins, and other essential items. In addition, World Renew has provided trauma counseling, repaired or rebuilt damaged homes, and helped people restart their livelihoods.
“Helping disaster survivors can’t involve cookie-cutter solutions,” said de Jong. “Each response is different depending on the needs of the people and communities involved.”
For example, World Renew took time to work with engineers and local experts to develop a prototype house that would be strong enough to withstand future disasters. They also carefully considered how best to help people restart their businesses.
“In terms of livelihoods, we learned that some families were receiving fishing boats from other organizations but lacked the motors, propellers and nets needed to make them successful at generating an income. For those families, we provided supplies to fill the gaps. For others, we provided boats, small business loans, and farming implements,” de Jong added.
Reyna is a great example of someone who received specialized assistance through World Renew. During Typhoon Haiyan, she and her seven children sought shelter in a nearby school. After switching classrooms several times as the school became more damaged, they found a safe place to wait for the wind to die down.
"I give thanks especially that World Renew fixed my house and created this safe zone. Now it is safe if another calamity comes."
“We were scared,” she recalled. “We prayed to God to keep us safe.”
When the family returned to their home after the storm, the roof had been blown away and two coconut trees had fallen on the walls. She lived in fear that she and her six children would be vulnerable when the next storm hit.
“My children told me that they were scared to sleep in the house because there was no roof. When it was windy, they cried and worried that it was another typhoon,” she said.
While Reyna didn’t qualify for a new house, World Renew repaired her home and retrofitted it with cement columns, sturdy beams, and a door. This created a “safe zone” where Reyna and her family can seek shelter during future disasters. They also provided Reyna with cash in exchange for work on a community garden.
“I give thanks to World Renew,” she said. “I used the money I earned to buy food and to buy clothes and school supplies for my children. I give thanks especially that World Renew fixed my house and created this safe zone. Now it is safe if another calamity comes. I feel safer now. My children feel safer now. Thank you.”
A photo update providing financial information and summarizing the first year of World Renew’s Haiyan response is available. World Renew expects to be working alongside Haiyan survivors for at least one more year. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
Fast Facts about World Renew’s Haiyan Response
Between November 2013 and November 2014, World Renew:
- Assisted families in 7 municipalities on three islands (Panay, Samar, and Leyte)
- Provided emergency food and non-food items to 3,977 families within 17 days of the storm
- Provided and installed 25 community generators to restore security and enable communication in communities
- Provided non-food items (candles, matches, flashlights, stoves, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, towels, buckets, wash basins, laundry baskets, cooking pots, dishes, and jerry cans) to 8,276 households (36,249 people)
- Provided cash to 4,155 households in exchange for work on community-identified projects
- Provided training in how to provide psycho-social support to 117 community members to enable them to conduct group therapy in their communities
- Provided psycho-social care and trauma counseling to 2,111 community members, including 930 children
- Repaired 11 damaged homes and built 135 new, typhoon-and-earthquake-resistant homes
- Helped 475 fishing families restore their livelihoods through the provision of boats, fishing nets, fish cages, sea-weed seedlings, and other fishing gear
- Helped 97 farming families restore their livelihoods through training and the provision of vegetable seeds
- Provided capital to help restart businesses including concrete block-making, barbershops, motorcycle repair shops, small kiosks, and tailoring
- Trained 1 group of water and sanitation facilitators who will begin educating communities on sanitation and hygiene