DOHA: The Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) in collaboration with Philippines Red Cross has launched a campaign to raise $2m to support people hit by Typhoon Haiyan in The Philippines.
This emergency appeal focuses on providing food, water, shelter, non-food items and health care to 5,000 families (25,000 persons) in affected provinces of Northern Mindanao region.
Some 39 cities and 229 municipalities have been hit by Haiyan, the strongest typhoon that hit the country this year. After preliminary assessments conducted recently in accessible areas, the relief teams have identified urgent needs of affected communities.
There is an immediate need for food and non-food items. The non-food items include shelter kits, hygiene kits, kitchen sets, jerry cans, and tarpaulin sheets, QRC said yesterday. There is also an urgent need for basic health care services and supply of clean water to those living in temporary shelters.
Providing more shelters is also a priority since it is estimated that approximately 3,383 houses have been damaged, 2055 of them badly.
“Typhoon Haiyan victims need joint efforts to survive this disaster and overcome the sufferings they are enduring. I take this opportunity to urge the public, especially businessmen, to donate and help those people in need, in kind or cash,” said Saleh Al Muhannadi of QRC.
QRC will also provide repair kits to1000 families whose houses have been partially damaged. Some 500 families whose houses were totally destroyed will benefit from the temporary shelters. As for long term needs, owing to the significant number of damaged houses shelter assistance is a top priority.
“Qatar Red Crescent and Philippines Red Cross consider provision of shelter assistance to be fully in line with helping people to restore their daily life and enable them to live in decent conditions,” said a QRC statement.
These efforts will target the storm-affected families as a whole rather than their individual members. Lists of beneficiaries will be obtained from the local authorities and the respective Philippines Red Cross chapters will revalidate the lists, with volunteers undertaking surveys in affected areas.
Families headed by women [widows, divorced or separated] without income, families with persons with disabilities, with young children or elderly members and those from ethnic minorities and other socially excluded groups will be on top of the list.
The Peninsula
