Help 600 People Escape Floods & Poverty

During the week starting August 18th, a nearby typhoon caused the normal monsoon rains to go into overdrive. It rained for almost five full days - more than a month's worth of rain fell in August 19th alone.

Rivers were already at bursting point on August 19th, and as rains continued thousands of residents were forced to leave their homes. In Banaba alone 2,300 people found themselves in overcrowded evacuation centers. As families began to arrive in evacuation centres, we sprang into action with our local partners, Buklod Tao.

Your donations funded 2,000 hot meals for flood-affected families. A hot meal may not sound like much, but for families like Mark's who were forced from their homes in pitch dark and pouring rain, this hot meal was absolutely priceless.

By August 21st, the floodwaters began to recede and families started to go home and assess the damage. Many families found they had lost food, access to drinking water, and suffered damage to their livelihoods. They needed emergency relief to help them get through the first difficult days at home. Because of you, we were there to help.

Your donations funded emergency kits of food and hygiene items to 180 families. The crisis is over for now but we wanted to thank you for giving us the ability to respond . Without you, we wouldn't have been able to supply the food, water, and other basic necessities needed by hundreds of families during and after the disaster. Thanks so much!

This rainy season is far from over, so we're now turning our attention back to preparing for the next inevitable flood. When it comes, we'll be here ready to respond once again.

As always, if you have any questions about how we're using your donation to change lives here in Banaba, don't hesitate to email Emma@IDVolunteers.org. We'd love to hear from you! Thanks again for all you've done, and very kind regards!

On August 18^th, a typhoon passing to the northeast of the Philippines caused a phenomenon called “Enhanced Monsoon”. An enhanced monsoon occurs when the wet air from a nearby typhoon sends the Philippines’ monsoon rains into overdrive.

Here in Banaba, the enhanced monsoon brought rain for most of Saturday and all of Sunday. On Sunday night, the rivers began to overflow and vulnerable families were forced from their homes.

In the middle of the night, hundreds of families like Servano’s packed up their most precious possessions and left their homes in the pouring rain. They arrived at evacuation centers cold, wet, and tired. But thanks to you, they weren’t alone.

Your generosity meant that we were able to give hundreds of evacuees like Servano a hot meal.  After a cold, difficult night, a hot bowl of oatmeal and a friendly face were a godsend for families affected by flooding – thanks so much for making that gift possible!

The rain’s slowed for now, but we’re not out of the woods yet. At the time of writing, up to 30 mm of rain were expected in the next 24 hours, and the effects of the enhanced monsoon could last for up to four days. Unless the weather forecast changes, there will be more evacuees in need of our support in the coming days.

It costs just $3 to prepare a bowl of nutritious, warming oatmeal for 10 evacuees. That means that when you give the minimum donation that GlobalGiving will process - $10 – we’ll be able to give more than 30 people breakfast.

If you’re not in a position to give, please share this update with friends and family so that we can help evacuees like Servano ride out the enhanced monsoon!

Thanks so much, and very kind regards.