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Heinz Kulüke SVD – University of San
Carlos – 6000 Cebu City - Philippines Help for the Victims of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)Taking Stock of Good Deeds In August 2014 I visited the disaster area as a consequence of the havoc brought about by typhoon Haiyan. Images of shocking dimensions of the typhoon passed through the media in Germany and worldwide. About 2 million people were affected by the typhoon, losing family members and properties. The emergency aid came in the form of food, drinking water, medical care, trauma work including the burial of the dead. With the aid of generous benefactors coupled with the coordinated efforts of an SVD Disaster Team (JPIC-IDC / JPIC) (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation - Integrated Development Center), the reconstruction work is progressing well. Here is a balance of all the efforts, programs and activities on site in Leyte, on the island of Bantayan and Northern Cebu as of August 2014: 1) Emergency aid for families: 2) Construction of about 5,000 transitional houses: 3) Repair of damaged buildings and construction of new school
buildings: 4) Help for children - school backpacks, school uniforms and
shoes: 5) Help with income generating activities:
6) Accounting of received funds: 7) Documentation: (NB: This video clip speaks of 4,000 homes. Meanwhile there are already over 5,000 on Leyte, Bantayan and Cebu North.) 8) Evaluation of aid for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan: Thanks for your life changing aid that made a difference in the lives of many people especially the children who continue to assure a brighter future for Leyte, Cebu and elsewhere. Because of the global network of the Divine Word Missionaries and the very generous donors the affected families of typhoon Haiyan know that they were not left alone in the midst of dire needs and desolation. Special thanks also go to the agencies that helped in the rehabilitation of the Divine Word Hospital in Tacloban. Many medical devices have been destroyed during the typhoon and had to be replaced. The hospital is now fully operational again and can offer to the local people the necessary services they need. (Various devices such as MRI, CT-Scan and X-ray unit had to be replaced.) On my visit today (August 4) I meet many of these people who have benefited from the assistance programs. About 300 children welcome me and want to say thank you for being able to go to school again. The head of the village community introduces me to a 30-year-old woman named Jocelyn. Jocelyn has lost her husband and two children during the typhoon. She shows me her new house, where she lives with her two remaining children. Jocelyn is deeply grateful for their new home and the assurance that her children can continue to go to school. Jocelyn sighed in relief: “Because of the love we receive now our life can go on”, she paused and looked at her children: “their lives can go on.” All this help would not have been possible without the generous help of so many people. Especially in times of bitter hardship, global solidarity takes on a special meaning and gives new life to others... Thank you! Heinz Kulüke |