Lee is three. She lives with her mom and younger brother in a poorly constructed house dangerously close to a riverbank. Every year it floods, and Lee's home has been inundated many times. During floods Lee and her family must seek safety in an evacuation centre. However, Lee's nearest evacuation center is not yet finished. The top floor still has unfinished walls, and no windows, and this doesn't provide protection during disasters. This means Lee lives in constant danger and fear.
The Philippines is hit by around 20 typhoons every year, making it one of the world's most disaster-prone countries. The typhoons bring floods and both are dangerous for the thousands like Lee who live on riverbanks in the community of Banaba. It floods every year and each time Lee must evacuate to stay safe. However, the sponsor of Lee's evacuation center ran out of funds before work could be finished. So, Lee doesn't have anywhere safe to seek refuge when the worst happens.
Lee desperately needs a safe refuge during typhoons and floods. Your donations will provide this refuge by allowing construction work on the third floor of Lee's evacuation center to continue. Although we need to raise over $12,000 in total to complete work, the project can be tackled in stages, one brick wall and window at a time. So, your donations will have an immediate impact, even as we continue to fundraise.
The completed evacuation center will continue to provide a safe refuge for dozens of families, including Lee's, for generations to come. Outside of typhoons the center is already being used to run impactful community development projects. These projects help provide job opportunities for poor residents and also encourage better nutrition and health. Completing the center will also help these projects expand and thrive.
