AHAH Monthly Program Update - Philippines (August 2022)

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PHILIPPINES TYPHOON RELIEF UPDATE AUGUST 2022

TOTAL IMPACT 91 IMPACTED LIVES COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS ENGAGED VOLUNTEERS

2,467

243

VOLUNTEER DAYS LIVES IMPACTED

75 JOBS COMPLETED

BOATS REPAIRED

SCHOOLmucking IN PROGRESS Photos: (Top) Volunteers 9212(Left) Tree and gutting a home; removalVOLUNTEER HOURS

Current Activities As we wind down in the Philippines, we are excited to share some highlights from this extraordinary program celebrating the human need for community and the role of women in society. Our Araceli Boat Repair program focused on restoring the livelihoods of the local fisher folk whose boats were destroyed in Super Typhoon Odette in December 2021. This low cost, high impact response was kept small and scalable by embracing localization. It is the only AHAH program to date to use a 100% local team, in this case, of Filipino nationals, which included an all female management team and an all female boat building team. The objective was to repair and rebuild local fishing boats, or “bangkas”, in time for the next fishing season. The program was organized around a deeply rooted custom in Filipino culture known as “bayanihan” whereby community members support and help each other for the greater good. This community volunteer model worked beautifully, as Filipinos are deeply imbued with a strong sense of unity and cooperation. The bayanihan spirit extended from the complexity of the boatyard to the simplicity of the communal kitchen where staff and volunteers routinely brought in fish, rice, and vegetables to prepare and share lunchtime meals together.

Staff Spotlight: Shan AHAH is always looking for ways to celebrate female empowerment and highlight the crucial role women play in lifting up their communities in the wake of a disaster. Thus, we shine our staff spotlight on a remarkable member of our all-Filipina management team, Shan. Shan was our first staff hire. No sooner had she started than it became apparent how well connected she was, not only in her own “barangay” or neighborhood, but all over Araceli. She jumped straight into supporting the program and very quickly became a critical asset to the team, coordinating the local volunteers, providing operational and logistical support in the boatyards and becoming a Salesforce genius! As the program was winding down, Shan coordinated the complex Disaster Risk Reduction training event which drew over 400 participants. Hats off to you, Shan, for your hard work, your bayanihan spirit, and the special way you guided your community to a better prepared, more resilient future. Maraming salamat po! Thank you very much! Photos: (Top left) Some of the completed bangkas; (Top right) (Bottom left) A local boy enjoys boatyard life.


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