July 23, 2014 | 3:30 p.m.
Convoy of Hope’s Disaster Services team, which landed in the Philippines Sunday night, has distributed more than 30,000 meals, as well as hygiene kits and tarps to survivors of Typhoon Rammasun (Glenda). The team met with the coordinator of the Women’s Empowerment initiative in Lucena, where they delivered food and construction supplies for the participants in the program, a few of whom lost everything in the storm.
The death toll from Typhoon Rammasun has risen to 98 in the Philippines. Additionally, the latest figures show that between 7,000-28,000 homes were destroyed by the storm and 19,000-35,000 homes were damaged. Flooding and landslides have been a major problem caused by the typhoon.
July 21, 2014 | 4 p.m.
When she was just twelve years old, Mariel* moved with her mother to the bustling capital city of the Philippines, Manila. Shortly thereafter, her mother was hospitalized and Mariel was forced to work to pay for her mother’s medicine. She served as a maid and was abused and mistreated daily. When her mother died, she was left to fend for herself and by the time she turned 18, she was a single mother of three children. Last January, when she came to participate in Convoy of Hope’s Women’s Empowerment program in Lucena City, Philippines, she had ten children and was living on a few dollars a day — she was desperate.
She has thrived in the Women’s Empowerment initiative, raising and selling poultry to support her family. Since enrolling, she has become educated in entrepreneurial skills, her business has become profitable, and she has contributed weekly to her cooperative savings group. For the first time in her life, Mariel looks to the future with hope — hope that she can give her children a better life than she was dealt. But Mariel is facing a major challenge.
Last week, when Typhoon Rammasun (Glenda) hit the Philippines, she lost her home and everything in it. She has remained positive throughout the aftermath of the storm, but Mariel knows that it will be a struggle to recoup everything that her family has lost. Convoy of Hope will be there to supply aid for Mariel and the other ten women in the Lucena City program, because we know that tangible help and hope are transformational. We want to see Mariel succeed!
*Name changed to protect privacy.
July 16, 2014 | 5 p.m.
Convoy of Hope’s Disaster Services is sending an assessment team to the Philippines to survey storm damage after Typhoon Rammasun struck the country, causing widespread damage, power outages, and flooding.
“Our plan is to coordinate with our in-country partners to gather information so we can get relief supplies to where they’re needed most,” says Chris Dudley, Disaster Services Response Director. “We’ll work quickly to move supplies from our warehouse in Manila to the affected areas.”
According to Dudley, Convoy of Hope’s Women’s Empowerment initiative in Lucena was in the direct path of the storm. He says the 10 women who recently completed the educational portion of the program were all impacted to varying degrees.
“Some lost their homes completely and some had minor damage,” says Dudley. “We’re working on getting more detailed information from the program coordinator so we can assist with relief goods and possible building materials to help these women and their families get back on their feet.” The assessment team will also gather information regarding Convoy of Hope’s Children’s Feeding sites in the country and what impact the storm may have had on them.
