The future looks uncertain for 7.3 Million Filipinos who now find themselves without a job.
One vital part of our projects is livelihood training, making sure that our beneficiaries adapt to the situation and develop new skills to continue providing for their families.
Aldin Beta-A is more than a DRR Supervisor for our MOVE UP 3 Project, he is one of our Real-Life Heroes.
After spearheading the Resilient Livelihood Support turnover for 50 families in Marikina last September 18, he shares his experience as a humanitarian worker and working tirelessly to help others amidst the pandemic.
When did you start being involved in development work? My initial employment was focused on ancestral domain management after I graduated back in 2000. After that, I was mostly involved in the agricultural field and was also part of an earthquake rehabilitation program. In 2006, I was deployed in Southern Luzon, in Aurora, for a community disaster risk reduction program. Thereafter, I was more involved on humanitarian responses during in 2013 until now.
What were your struggles as a humanitarian worker, especially now during the pandemic? Well, the normal struggle is how to expedite the process given that time is limited, and especially now that transportation between areas have become challenging. The common way we communicate now is through non-face-to-face interactions which can be challenging when it comes to decision-making.
What motivates you to continue a career in humanitarian work? As a humanitarian worker, it is common in our DNA to help others and doing no harm, so that motivates me to help others even if it needs more patience or innovative ways of getting things done.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future? My hope for the future is for us to continuously adapt. I see that we constantly change as a society, even though we experience many hazards or risks. I see that as we can adapt to these different disasters and emergencies, and cope as human beings.
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.
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.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sep-21-P3-cropped.jpg257486Anthony Reyeshttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAnthony Reyes2020-09-21 07:23:452024-09-11 14:32:06Awareness Training on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in the Community and Municipalities of Mindanao City
𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵. However, around 7 million Filipinos are dependent on unsafe and unsustainable water sources.
In fact, even before the pandemic, those residing in congested dwellings in informal settlements, transitory sites, and evacuation areas were already facing problems with inadequate water, poor sanitation and waste management, and limited access to health care facilities. Now, these vulnerable areas are more prone to widespread virus infection.
Photo by Jasper Llanderal for Action Against Hunger
We help these communities through our programs on 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, & 𝗵𝘆𝗴𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗲.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/AAH11.jpg427640Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2020-09-20 09:00:222024-09-11 14:32:06The Cruciality of Safe Water Access in Infectious Diseases Prevention like COVID. Around 7 million Filipinos are dependent on unsafe and unsustainable water sources.
“I am more afraid that my family will suffer from hunger, than the actual virus,” is a sentiment shared by many Filipinos.
The country is facing an unprecedented hunger crisis as a result of the pandemic. Aside from the immediate impact on people’s health, COVID-19 could create more devastation to more than 13 million poor families in the Philippines.
Faced with this situation, we have provided 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 to 23,686 people as part of our COVID-19 response in the country.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sep-18-P1-cropped.jpg309423Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2020-09-18 07:01:182024-09-11 14:32:06Providing Food Security and Livelihood assistance to Our Country
“Mother, why are we different from other kids?” asks 6-year old John Rey to his mother, Janisa. John Rey and his two older brothers Christian and Gary Jr., have not been able to walk and run like other children because of a bone condition that started when each of them turned six years old.
Janisa looks at John Rey and finds it difficult to answer his question. Even the doctors that they consulted could not determine the reason why her sons’ bones in their lower bodies were shrinking. All the doctors could recommend was to conduct more medical examinations to determine the cause of the boys’ conditions and how to treat it.
The eldest, Gary Jr. who is now 13 years old, has trouble sitting down and usually spends days lying on the sleeping mat. The father, Gary Sr., earns just enough to get by their daily needs as an on-call carpenter. Janisa stays at home and takes care of the children. As much as they want to have their sons treated, they have limited financial capabilities to do so.
To make matters worse, their community in Balabag, Kidapawan was affected by the series of earthquakes that struck Mindanao during the last quarter of 2019. The disaster affected more than 300,000 people, almost half of them displaced, including Gary Sr. and Janisa’s family.
Despite their struggles, the Lopez family continues to move forward especially after our Earthquake Response Protection Team, together with the Integrated Provincial Health Office – IPHO and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), referred and assisted the Lopez brothers to Kidapawan City Public Hospital and other private hospitals in the area for more extensive check-ups and medical examinations. John Rey, Christian, and Gary Jr. each received wheelchairs courtesy of the IPHO, and the CSWD provided financial assistance for their family. Action Against Hunger continues to monitor the condition of the three children.
Prior to the referral, the Lopezes also received humanitarian support forms of multi-purpose cash transfer, hygiene and shelter kits. Inside their evacuation tent, Janisa watches her two youngest sons play, the eldest brother lies in his back beside them. The boys may not be able to use their legs like other children, but Janisa is hopeful that at least her sons will now be able to walk and run in their own special way with the help of their new wheelchairs.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rsz_sep_17_p1.jpg344612Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2020-09-17 06:41:422024-09-11 14:32:06Life After The Mindanao Earthquake: Wheels of Hope