February Impact 2014

IMPACT

FEBRUARY 2014

T YPHOON HAIYAN

LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY Community rebuilds hope after devastating storm in the Philippines

A

We heard with relief that not one per-

on a massive storm fast approaching

son from our Unbound family — spon-

the Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan, known

sored child, elderly person or staff mem-

Image provided by the Naval Research Laboratory

s November began, the world focused

as Yolanda in the Philippines, crashed into the island nation on Nov. 7, 2013.

Within a few days, the storm had come and gone, leaving parts of the Philippines devastated. The

Unbound

community

mourned as the news reported thousands had been killed, and we braced for reports from our regional offices.

ber — lost their life in the storm.

Thanks to people like Reynaldo, father of a sponsored child and leader of the ERPATs (a fathers service group) in the Iloilo area, sponsored persons and their families were evacuated to safety before the storm hit. (continued)

Satellite image of Typhoon Haiyan.

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YOU TURN HOPE into CERTAINTY

Members of the Unbound community pitch in to help build Antonio’s home.

Antonio in front of his new home.

(continued from front) Reynaldo dutifully looked after his community. His mother helped his kids

Rebuilding made possible with disaster funds

evacuate so he was on hand to help other families in need.

“The typhoon was really dangerous and destructive,” Reynaldo said. “That’s why I decided to do an early evacuation for all the people living near the coastal areas. And thank God there were no casualties in my area.”

Antonio, a sponsored elderly member, and his wife, Margarita, were evacuated

by Reynaldo.

“Our house was destroyed by the wind and huge waves coming from the sea,” Antonio said. “We’re so thankful that we had been advised by Mr. Reynaldo to

F

or families living on the margins, a disaster such as Typhoon Haiyan can leave them displaced from their

community and without food or a way to earn a living.

Antonio and Margarita went from living in a tempo-

leave and evacuate our house because, if not, we might be dead now.”

After the storm passed, the work of recovery began. Antonio and his wife were

rary shelter to having a new house to replace the one they lost in Haiyan. Their new home was made possible

363 natural disasters have occurred in the Philippines over the past three decades

3

MILLION Filipinos are impacted each year by disasters

657

homes of sponsored members in the Philippines are in the process of being repaired or rebuilt with Unbound disaster assistance

by Unbound’s disaster assistance fund.

The elderly couple is among 657 families in the Unbound program in the Philippines getting help repairing or rebuilding homes after Haiyan. In addition, 96 families who depend on fishing and farming for their livelihoods will be able to replace lost equipment or crops.

The homes are being built with materials used in local construction. In the community where Antonio and Margarita live, for example, homes are made of bamboo.

Trisha Pitts, who works with Philippine projects for

Sources: ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee; PreventionWeb; Unbound

Unbound, said the Philippine people have shown tre-

among many whose homes were destroyed. Others also found damaged houses or devastated crops when they returned home.

Many of the ERPAT fathers, including Reynaldo, are carpenters and put their skills to use rebuilding homes lost to the storm. They used materials purchased with disaster assistance funds from Unbound.

Antonio and Margarita were among those whose homes were rebuilt thanks to a community effort. While fathers led the rebuilding, mothers and staff members

mendous resilience in recovering from disasters.

“With help from the Unbound project in providing building materials, food, blankets and other emergency needs, they get right to work rebuilding,” she said.

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pitched in with labor and cooking meals.

“I would like to thank Unbound for helping us,” Antonio said. “Without them, my wife and I would not be able to eat and we would not be able to rebuild our house.”

Reynaldo, expressing a belief shared by Unbound, affirmed, “If we will help each other, there’s nothing we cannot do.”

1 ELMWOOD AVENUE, KANSAS CITY, KS 66103

with volunteer labor and construction materials paid for

800.875.6564

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INFORMATION ABOUT HOW DONATIONS TO THE DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUND HELP FAMILIES RECOVER FROM EMERGENCIES UNBOUND.ORG

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