Undernourished People, Especially Young Children, Who Contract COVID-19 Could Be At Greater Risk

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Undernourished people, especially young children, who contract COVID-19 could be at greater risk. To counter this, we need to support health facilities in their fight against the pandemic. In addition to this, we are working hard in maintaining the continuity of our maternal and child health programs.

You can help us strengthen and expand our activities focused on child malnutrition, support for women and psychosocial support.

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https://actionagainsthunger.ph/call-for-donations/

One of the 60 Beneficiaries Who Lost Their Home and Livelihood Due to #TyphoonRolly Received 5,200 pesos As Part of Our Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance

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#StoriesfromtheField: “We were still doing okay financially even though the pandemic slowed our business down, but when Typhoon Rolly happened, I feel like we went back to zero,” said 58-year old Maria Tipo whose community in Barangay Guinsaanan of Baras, Catanduanes was greatly affected by #TyphoonRolly (Goni) last November 2020.

Maria and her husband used to live along the shore of Barangay Guinsaanan. Together, they managed to get by through their sari-sari store which was then frequented by tourist who were visiting Binurong Point, a popular tourist in the area. After losing both their home and their livelihood, they are now temporarily residing in a makeshift home they built from scratch in a small space beside her grandmother’s lot. With no source of income, they rely on relief packages for food and other basic needs.

“There are times when I have trouble sleeping at night because I worry, if the handouts stop what will happen to us?,” said Maria. She now has to work for the both of them since her husband had become partially paralyzed after suffering from stroke in 2019.

On January 27, Maria was one of the 60 beneficiaries from Barangay Guinsaanan who received 5,200 pesos as part of our multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA). This is one of the key programs under our ????????? ?????????? ?? ??????? ???????? ??????????? ?? ??????????? ??? ?????, which is co-implemented by CARE Philippines. The project is made possible through the funding of the USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.

The goal of the MPCA is to enable typhoon-affected families like Maria’s to meet immediate food and basic humanitarian needs. Maria hopes for stability for her family in the coming days. Unfortunately, only a few days after the distribution, Maria’s husband passed away due to health reasons. Before his passing, Maria shared that her hopes for their family in the coming days was to build another house. “???? ? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ??? ????? ???? ???????? ??? ?????, ?? ?? ???? ? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????? ????????? ????, ?? ???? ?? ???’? ???? ?? ????? ??? ????? ????? ???? ? ????? ?????.”

(Photo by Joyce Sandajan for Action Against Hunger)

We Are Currently Looking for a Finance Manager in Manila

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We are currently looking for a Finance Manager in Manila. For further details please go to: https://bit.ly/3mxzRbJ

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1. Click the link
2. Read the details thoroughly
3. Go to the bottom right corner of the page
4. Click the “Apply for this Position” button

Given the urgency of this position, the vacancy may close on or before ?? ????? ????.

Residents of Barangays Maliwanag and Panggao in Saguiran, Lanao del Sur Usually Travel Around 6 kilometers To Access Water Sources

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Residents of Barangays Maliwanag and Panggao in Saguiran, Lanao del Sur usually travel around 6 kilometers to access water sources. Toilets are limited, some need repair and others are damaged. Because not all have access to these facilities, some practice open defecation.

To address this, we constructed water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH) facilities in the community through our REACH project. About 2,900 people will be able to access these facilities—including those residing in distant barangays who visit Maliwanag and Panggao just to retrieve water. 31 households will hopefully benefit from the three units of sanitation facilities which consists of two toilets per unit.

The construction of the facilities also implemented a cash-for-work program, offering a livelihood alternative for several evacuees. WASH Committees and the barangay local government unit are actively supporting the project.

With funding from EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid – ECHO, this intervention is part of our ‘???????? ?? ??? ????? ???????????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ?????????? ????????-???????? ??????????? ?? ????????’ (?????). The project is implemented together with CARE Philippines, Oxfam Pilipinas, and their local partners.

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https://actionagainsthunger.ph/what-we-do/#water-sanitation

Leaving Behind Your Home Is a Choice For Many, But For Families Dealing With Conflicts or Calamities, It Is a Sacrifice

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Leaving behind your home is a choice for many, but for families dealing with conflicts or calamities, it is a sacrifice they have to make to ensure their safety. Their lives may be at risk, jobs, and incomes can be destroyed, food sources can be limited or become more expensive, and children’s access to education may be interrupted.

We have been providing humanitarian assistance to IDPs in the Philippines for over 20 years now. Our projects directly support the displaced & affected populations, and even host communities so that all people have equal abilities and opportunities to lead more fulfilling lives.

Together, let’s help vulnerable communities recover from crisis.
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https://actionagainsthunger.ph/call-for-donations/

Providing Emergency Non-food Items and Hygiene Kits to a Total of 540 Families Temporarily Taking refuge in Datu Pendililang Piang Elementary School and Mahad Madrasa in Barangay Salbu

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Clashes between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and a faction of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) on March 18 has displaced more than 3,000 individuals in several municipalities in Maguindanao: Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Shariff Saidona Mustapha, Shariff Aguak, and Mamasapano.

 

“Based on the information gathered, the fighting is still ongoing. This will result in more people forced to leave their homes for safety,” said Delilah Chua, Head of Base for Cotabato. “Just in a span of one day, we have seen the number of families practically doubling in number. When we validated the Pendililang evacuation center on March 20, it was 269. The next day, the number jumped to 419. In the Barangay Salbu evacuation center, the same thing happened as well: from 271 it increased to 425 the very next day.”

In response, Action Against Hunger Philippines with funding from the USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and logistical support from the EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid – ECHO, provided emergency non-food items and hygiene kits to a total of 540 families temporarily taking refuge in Datu Pendililang Piang Elementary School and Mahad Madrasa in Barangay Salbu.

As We Celebrate #WorldWaterDay, We Recognize 7 Million Filipinos Who Still Depend On Unsafe And Unsustainable Water Sources

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Water is a basic necessity in our daily lives. However, 7 million Filipinos still depend on unsafe and unsustainable water sources. In some isolated communities, reliable water sources are sometimes inaccessible.

Access to clean and safe water is crucial is a key element in fighting hunger and malnutrition. This is why we have been providing technical assistance and training programs to local communities in facilitating water, sanitation and hygiene projects in areas where such coverage is lacking.

This #WorldWaterDay, let’s provide access to safe and sustainable water for more Filipino communities.

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https://actionagainsthunger.ph/call-for-donations/

(Photo by Jasper Llanderal for Action Against Hunger)

850 Families Receive Emergency Aid After Tropical Storm Auring

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Severe   Tropical Storm Auring  (International Name: Dujuan), entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on February 17 and affected more than 200,000 people as the country’s first tropical cyclone of 2021.  While it did not develop into a typhoon, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (NDRRMC), the storm inflicted infrastructure and agricultural damages amounting to 53 million pesos and 106.7 million pesos, respectively.

Surigao del Sur was hit the hardest as Auring’s heavy rains caused massive flooding which damaged homes and displaced several families.  By February 24, Tandag—Surigao del Sur’s capital—was in a state of calamity.

 

 

In response to this emergency, Action Against Hunger’s field team distributed kits containing basic hygiene materials and non-food items such as blankets and cooking utensils to 850 families across several municipalities in Surigao del Sur: San Agustin, Marihatag, and Bayabas.  Distribution was done between the dates of February 27 to March 2.

(Photos by Nino Kim Diez, Lea Anora, Mark Dalin-as for Action Against Hunger)

This humanitarian assistance was conducted under Action Against Hunger’s REACH Project funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and implemented together with CARE Philippines and Oxfam Philippines.

In photo: A beneficiary unpacks the contents of the hygiene and NFI kits she received.

 

Forming A Cash Savings Group (CSG) For Emergencies In Kidapawan City

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One of the ways we empower women is through our livelihood programs. Across the communities we work with, we provide them with knowledge and proper tools to enable them to be financially resilient.

These women from Barangay Ilomavis in Kidapawan City are uniting their efforts in forming a cash savings group (CSG) for emergencies. Their barangay was one of the hardly affected barangays during the series of Mindanao Earthquakes back in 2019.

Photo by Louie Bullanday for Action Against Hunger

Following this, our MOVE UP 4 Project introduced these women to the CSG as one of the mechanisms to build financial independence and resilience for their households. Aside from the emergency funds they managed to save, they have also gained more confidence from being able to provide financial stability for their family during emergency situations like disasters or the pandemic.

We celebrate the success of these women and hope to empower more through the work that we do, one community at a time.

Written by Lyndon Arbes, Louie Bullanday,  Joyce Sandajan
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, or the consortium members. Neither the European Union nor any of the consortium members can be held responsible for them.

Real Life Heroes – Cha Magdadaro

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Charity “Cha” Magdadaro, one of our Project Assistants for our Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) Response in Cagayan shared with us her insights as a humanitarian worker for eight years now. Get to know Cha and find out what makes her one of our Real Life Heroes.

What motivates you to become a humanitarian worker?

I started working as a humanitarian volunteer in 2013. After few involvements, I tried jobs in the industrial field, but my heart always searched for a job that works with the community. Working in this field gives me deeper satisfaction than other jobs. I witnessed a huge need of change that most communities in the Philippines need, and the small, step-by-step impact of humanitarian intervention to communities always makes a big difference.

Being able to witness children learning, mothers accepting new knowledge, and empowering the members of community – these things are priceless.

Why are you making this sacrifice?

With the challenges that the pandemic we are all facing and the calamities that heap up the burden of the vulnerable community, it is not easy to just ignore it. Humanitarian work is needed. Someone needs to do it. Someone needs to be there. I am answering the call.

What have been the challenges to your work because of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Due to budgetary constraints, we could not help all the people needing assistance. We had to be selective and narrow down our beneficiaries to the most vulnerable sector of the population.

Several of our planned activities have also been postponed due to community quarantine initiatives that the LGUs imposed. Within the community, the challenges of involving senior citizens, pregnant and lactating women and other vulnerable members of the community had been tough since they were the ones not allowed to be in social gathering, not even allowed to go out.

But then, beyond the mentioned challenges, the risk of being with a lot of people amid this pandemic is the most weighing burden I have. The heightened sense of protecting myself for the sake of my family, friends and the team is always the priority. With all the tasks I have to accomplish every day, this is a big challenge.

What motivates you to keep doing your work even with these challenges?

Helping the community is what drives me to keep going. Being an avenue to meet the immediate needs of the community is a fulfilling moment. 3 months after Typhoon Goni, some of our beneficiaries still live in tents in evacuation centers. The most common profile of the people we help are families with pregnant and lactating mothers do not earn a living wage and Senior Citizens with chronic ailments. Our interventions help them sustain hope despite the flooding and the pandemic that had caused them to lose so much.

The impact of the assistance I help deliver to the community outweighs the personal risks that the pandemic brings.

What are you most proud of?

I am proud of the team I am with in this emergency response. Despite the pandemic, we are still able to achieve our purpose in the community. There is always that challenge to strike the balance between taking a risk and protecting ourselves. Nonetheless, my team works hard, sacrificing things in life, just to do their job at its best.

Our Humanitarian Assistance to Typhoon Vamco-affected Communities in Region II, Philippines is funded by the European Union, and implemented by Action Against Hunger Philippines, CARE Philippines, ACCORD Incorporated, and Plan International Philippines,