Help Filipino Communities Prepare for Disaster

Thank you so much for helping Filipino communities prepare for disaster.

In a previous project report we explained how we’re raising funds this Holiday season to help improve and maintain the Banaba Livelihood & Evacuation Centre after our charity closes. We then shared the stories of Rheanna and Michelle to show how this vital Centre provides shelter and food for evacuees when disaster strikes. 

In this report we wanted to share the story of yet another Banaba resident who benefits from the Centre.

While less obvious, the Center also helps provide livelihood opportunities. This is critical in helping people to prepare for disaster because poverty and vulnerability are often closely linked.

Walter (pictured above) is forty-seven years old. Walter makes his living as a tricycle driver plying the routes of Brgy. Banaba. While his most common fare is passengers running errands or visiting friends, he is often paid to help people move things around the community.

Walter had this to say about the opportunities your generosity helped provide:

"I immediately earned early in the morning each time Buklod Tao community kitchen summoned me and my tricycle to haul the big cauldron of cooked hot meals for breakfast at the periphery of Barangay Banaba. And to boot, I received hot meals too for my children at home, courtesy of the community kitchen. Salamat Po! [Thank you!]".

We echo Walter’s thanks. Without your support, the building wouldn’t be equipped today to provide hot meals. Your donations have also enabled us to provide Buklod Tao with the funds to purchase the ingredients for the meals and to pay Walter for his services.

We know you’ve already given so much but we hope you’ll consider making a further gift to this project if you can. In doing so, you’ll help ensure that residents like Walter can earn vital income when they need it most.

You can find out more about our plans to close down IDV on our website, and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email Andy@IDVolunteers.org. I’d be delighted to hear from you as always.