Support Education in Tacloban

Thanks to your ongoing generosity we’re continuing our vital work supporting education following typhoon Haiyan.

For much of the last few months our local Project Manager Siggy, who we introduced in another project report, has been working with some of our amazing local partners in Tacloban.

However, following some generous donations earlier this year we’ve also been very keen to undertake more construction projects in some of the underserved rural areas outside the city.

We asked Siggy to provide some updates about these plans, and here’s what he had to say:

“In the months of March to April I have been roaming around the region to see the updates of the rehabilitation on the affected community especially into the higher lands.

What I have seen makes me sad.

It has been over two years since typhoon haiyan pounded Visayas, but some areas in Leyte received less help. In general all the urban area were given Aid from different NGO’s and the National Government, but some of the rural barangay still had to suffer.

According to one local official they often apply for aid, but to be able to become beneficiary [it seems like] they have to win the raffle. The most who benefited are the community found in main town, much less in the interior/highlands community.

In the municipality of Burauen I have found a highland community, Barangay Matin-ao, which badly need help to repair its daycare center and reading center. The buildings need repair and they also need shelves, blackboard, learning material for pre-schooler, and tables and chairs.

This community is [very poor] - 99% engaged to coconut farm workers and root crops planting only. Therefore I recommend this Barangay center for rehabilitation”.

We’re definitely keen to help in this community. It’s rural location means that the kids there are often much more neglected than in Tacloban itself.  

Based on Siggy’s initial estimates repairing the daycare center will cost around $3,600, or about £2,500. This would provide important opportunities for early learning and really help the local kids get a good start in life.

The reading center project would be a little cheaper - around $2,400, or about £1,670, and would let kids of all ages, and even adults, improve their reading skills and learn more about the world.

We’d love to do both projects if we can, but at the moment we only have enough funds for one or the other.  So, any further donations towards helping this deprived community would certainly be very much appreciated!

We’ll keep you posted about developments on these projects, and thanks so much for all you’ve already given. Whatever happens at least one of these projects will definitely start soon thanks to your amazing support so far.

If you ever have any questions about our work, or how we’re using your donation, please don’t hesitate to email Andy@IDVolunteers.org. I would be delighted to hear from you.

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