There are many charities providing aid to those affected by Typhoon Haiyan. These are just some of the ways they are helping right now.*
GlobalMedic (The David McAntony Gibson Foundation)
GlobalMedic has expanded its operations and is now working in Cebu, Iloilo, and Tacloban. Cebu will be the core of GlobalMedic’s logistics for inbound humanitarian airfreight and sea freight. This team is tasked with installing water purification units, distributing water purification tablets, supporting medical clinics, delivering essential medicines, and completing quick intervention projects. Quick intervention projects are designed to spend funds procuring goods in the local economy, provide the immediate delivery of aid, debris clearance, and repairs to shelters and schools. The support team in Cebu is handling shipments of inbound humanitarian cargo and forwarding those shipments to support the Tacloban Operation. GlobalMedic‘s Cebu team will also support other operations through its forward operating bases.
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GlobalMedic has mobilized and delivered the following assets to the Philippines:
– 5 million water purification tablets
– 12 water purification units
– $100,000 worth of essential medicines Read more
Canadian Medical Assessment Team (CMAT)
The CMAT Assessment travelled to the northern tip of Cebu island, which was in the direct path of Typhoon Yolanda, and was devastated late last week. The team spent the day assessing the infrastructure, trying to ascertain what level of assistance may be needed in the region.
Leaving Cebu, life appears to have continued on as normal. As anticipated though, there was a distinctive ‘line in the sand’, where the edge of the storm had its brunt. After this line, the destruction was immense. Trees were snapped in half, electrical and phone poles were toppled, roofs were completely blown off, and most thatched huts were flattened. That being said, the resiliency of the people was astounding. Read more.
Canadian Red Cross
Staff and volunteers from the Philippine Red Cross have been active with search and rescue and have been doing assessments since the storm hit. Delivery of immediate relief continues alongside efforts to rescue people who are trapped. Items being mobilized include food, blankets, jerry cans, hygiene kits and sleeping mats.
Emergency response teams have been deployed to deal with all aspects of the relief operation. The Canadian Red Cross, with support from both the Norwegian Red Cross and Hong Kong Red Cross, is deploying its Basic Health Care (BHC) Emergency Response Unit (ERU) to the Philippines. This field hospital can provide outpatient clinic services, and deliver psycho-social support and community health services. It can serve a community of 30,000, including care for 20 temporary inpatients, and referral services to other health facilities. The role of the field hospital is to support the local health authorities and to fill the short-term gaps in health services created by the typhoon. Read more.
Unicef Canada
UNICEF and the Tacloban City Department of Social Welfare and Development will open the first ‘child-friendly’ space on Wednesday in Tacloban City, in collaboration with Save the Children. The space is one of dozens planned for the region.
“Survival means not only that we address children’s health, education and psychological well-being, but that we make sure their safety is given top priority,” said UNICEF Representative in the Philippines, Tomoo Hozumi. “These spaces – the first of many we plan to establish – provide a place for children to begin the process of recovering from the loss of loved ones and the total upheaval in their lives, and help reduce the risks of trafficking, exploitation and other harm.”
UNICEF is providing tents, recreation kits and specialised supplies for early childhood development, with the local government department supplying day-care workers, soon to be supplemented with social workers, animators and youth volunteers. Read more.
World Vision
In the wake of one of the most powerful typhoons to ever hit land, World Vision has launched a massive response. We are helping victims by providing life-saving essentials like food, clean water and much more. Read more, and watch a video on aid distribution here.
Humanitarian Coalition (Plan, Save the Children, Oxfam, Care)
Despite severely damaged roads and coastal areas, widespread power outages, and a heavily burdened communications infrastructure, emergency supplies and life-saving health services are now reaching a growing number of people affected by Typhoon Haiyan. In the first few days following the disaster, our member agencies provided aid to more than 15,000 people in the worst hit areas of Tacloban and East Samar. Having scaled up their programs, they are aiming to assist many more thousands of people in the days and weeks to come. Read more.
Oxfam Canada
Oxfam has 4 teams in the affected areas (Leyte and Samar) providing household level water purification. It has also sent emergency water supplies to Tacloban to bring the assistance quickly despite logistical challenges.
Oxfam is delivering sanitation kits to 10,000 people this week alone. The agency works with local leaders in communities to ensure orderly distributions of goods, particularly to women, the elderly and disabled individuals.
Each of Oxfam’s hygiene kits contains 3.5 kilos of soap, a soap dish, two towels and two family size packages of dentonic powder, a substitute for toothpaste. The hygiene kit is completed with some ORS sachets to avoid dehydration and separate detergents to wash clothes and dishes.
In its first phase, Oxfam aims to support 20,000 families – with safe drinking water and sanitation facilities. A cargo from the United Kingdom carrying 16 tons of aid worth US$ 200,000, including water and sanitation equipment, is arriving into the country on Saturday and will be immediately taken to affected areas. Read more.
Shelter Box Canada
The most vulnerable families on Bantayan Island are starting to move into ShelterBox tents thanks to the generosity and support of ShelterBox donors across the globe. Thanks to your donations the first batch of tents cleared from Cebu City airport were transported yesterday and distributed immediately upon arrival. More tents are due to arrive today and tomorrow as aid is transported away from the airport. Read more.
Habitat for Humanity
Based on the initial assessment, Habitat for Humanity Philippines is in the works of extending help to 30,000 families who need shelter repair kits to re-build their damaged houses. So far, our teams are deployed in different areas now providing Emergency Shelter Kits (ESKs) to those who most need it. … Help the affected families in the said provinces by sending in your donations that can help them rebuild their homes. Habitat for Humanity Philippines Shelter Repair Kits (SRK) costs Php15,000, which is good for one family. This amount can help families repair even heavily damaged houses. We are also targeting tosend out 50,000 Clean-up Kits (Php2,000 each kit) and 10,000 Core Houses (Php120,000 each unit). Read more.
Humanity First
Humanity First has sent a local team to affected areas for initial assessment and to provide assistance to displaced individuals with essential supplies. Read more.
Rose Charities
Rose Charities Dr Collin Yong, currently carrying out medical relief along the north coast of Negros Island. Missions carried out to Cadiz City as well as some of the small isolated islands which to date have had almost no relief. Images above include Lakawon Island. Read more.
United Church
United Church partners in the Philippines are responding. They are present where needs are greatest, and able to provide immediate relief as well as support for reconstruction. We are there with partners as they reach out in compassion and service. Read more.
*These are excerpts from the charities’ websites where updates are available.
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