Build Rescue Boats in Flood Prone Communities

Thanks to your incredible support this project to provide flood rescue boats is going from strength to strength.

We delivered our latest boat to the vulnerable community of Armpac towards the end of last year. Since then we’ve been continuing to fundraise for the next one, and I’m delighted to announce that we’ve now secured around half of the $3,500 (£2,500) we need to reach our goal. Thanks so much.

Yet, even though we’re still raising funds that doesn’t mean the boat workshop is sitting idle - far from it in fact!

Last February we described how Buklod Tao (our local partners) had secured an order from the Norwegian Mission Alliance - Philippines (NMAP), for five new rescue boats. In a report at the time we also explained how your support had been critical to this by enabling us to build the boat workshop in the first place.

So, we’re now delighted to report that NMAP recently ordered another three boats. We asked Buklod Tao’s President, Ka Noli, about this latest order and their ongoing partnership with NMAP. Here’s what he had to say:

“The three boats will soon be claimed by NMAP partner communities here in Luzon [Province]. We will get to meet residents from these communities when they come to Buklod Tao Center with their hauling trucks to fetch the boats for their community disaster preparedness.

We’re happy that our partnership with NMAP is on-going. We will also consult with them on the development of participatory 3-D maps (like ours) in these communities, and in the training of more community representatives here at the Buklod Tao boat workshop (which IDV donors generously helped Buklod Tao to build - thank you!)

This training was included in the boat contract, for us to undertake hands on trainings for their selected partner communities for transfer of technology of fiber-glass boats and mould fabrication.”

We’re delighted that this project is going from strength to strength, and that even more communities are benefitting not only from boats, but also the skills and technology needed to build them. We echo Ka Noli’s thanks to you for making this possible.

Moving forward we’ll continue raising the funds we need to build our next boat, and we hope you’ll consider supporting these efforts if you can.

As always, if you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email Andy@IDVolunteers.org. I would be delighted to hear from you.

For more updates about our work please like us on Facebook. You can also email Andy if you would like to be added to our direct mailing list.

Thanks to your fantastic generosity the Armpac area of Banaba now has a brand new flood rescue boat!

In a previous report we described how Armpac was incredibly vulnerable to flooding, and how it’s rapidly growing population meant that a new boat was urgently needed. Happily, our latest flood rescue boat was officially handed over to the community at the end of September.

Prior to the handover ceremony the boat received it's purple paint job and dedication stickers. Moving forward The Nova Mills will protect 420 families from frequent flooding caused by typhoons and heavy rains.

This is the eighth boat that your amazing donations have funded over the years, and its sister vessels have already rescued hundreds of families trapped by the rapidly rising waters. So, we’re incredibly grateful to you for making this latest handover possible.

We also asked some of the local residents about the impact this boat will have and here’s what they had to say.

Vistacion, vice-president of the local homeowners’ association, started by discussing why the boat was so badly needed:

“Because of the high number of families residing now in Armpac, and in the event of big flooding in our locality, many persons would be rescued effectively and efficiently. I am so happy for the handover of Nova Mills. Thank you! “

Rhonnie, former president of the association, then described how you’ve helped to build the local capacity needed as a result:

“Our old boat could only carry three to four persons during flooding emergencies in our community. But The Nova Mills can accommodate twelve persons, so in just two trips with the new boat, twenty-four persons can effectively be rescued! Thank you!”

Finally, Elizabeth, current president, expressed her gratitude:

“All my fellow residents and officers of Armpac Homeowners’ Association feel safer and prepared for any event of flooding because of the Nova Mills. We are so thankful!”

We wholeheartedly echo these sentiments and want to thank you once again for helping to keep Vistacion, Rhonnie, Elizabeth and over 400 more families like theirs safe from flooding.

As always, if you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email Andy@IDVolunteers.org. I would be delighted to hear from you.

For more updates about our work please like us on Facebook or follow IDVMedia on Twitter. You can also email Andy if you would like to be added to our direct mailing list.