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Real Life Heroes: Nora Landas

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Last week, we sat down with Nora Landas, one of our Real-Life Heroes from Barangay Ilomavis, Kidapawan City. Nora shares the struggles of living in an evacuation site and the anxiety and stress that came along with them.
 
“It is never easy to live in tents. You’re not able to do the things you used to do, and it’s really a different feeling comparted to being in the comfort of your own home,” says Nora.
“How long are we going to be like this?” is a usual sentiment of mothers, young adults, and even children who are living in evacuation and transitory sites. Not only have their lives have changed due to the Mindanao earthquakes, the pandemic has worsened the situation ever since social activities in the sites have been limited.

(Photo by Debbie Olivo for Action Against Hunger)

 

It wasn’t until Nora and her fellow volunteers applied mental health and psychosocial (MHPSS) care practices that insights in the community started becoming more positive. “The PSS sessions conducted in our respective assigned areas rekindled the social involvement between members of the community.” People appreciated the things they’ve learned from the sessions while at the same time enjoying the company of other parents and adults.

(Photo by Debbie Olivo for Action Against Hunger)

Together with our Earthquake Response Team, volunteers also provided the participants with education and information on nutrition & health.

Nora and her fellow volunteers were trained on a series of community-based PSS Sessions conducted last February by Action Against Hunger Philippines and funded by the European Union. The activity aimed to give equal importance to mental and social health among internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Life-saving Humanitarian Assistance to People Affected by the Mindanao Earthquake is funded by the European Union, and implemented by Action Against Hunger Philippines, CARE Philippines, and ACCORD Incorporated.

Written by Debbie Olivo.

Awareness Training on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in the Community and Municipalities of Mindanao City

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Humanitarian crises create devastating impacts to the communities affected, but what is most scarring is the psychological trauma and stress that these emergency situations leave behind.

We are steadfast in mitigating these impacts and work closely with several conflict-affected communities in Mindanao.

Thus, last August, we facilitated an 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 for 60 community volunteers, leaders and LGU health staff members from the municipalities of Saguiaran, Kapai, Balindong and Madamba in Lanao del Sur, and Municipality of Pantao Ragat in Lanao Del Sur.

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Funded by EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid – ECHO, the training was part of our ‘Response to the Unmet Humanitarian Needs of the Most Vulnerable Conflict-Affected Populations in Mindanao’ (REACH) Project in partnership with CARE Philippines and Oxfam Pilipinas.

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