A month after Typhoon Odette (international name Rai) entered Philippine shores and left billions worth of agriculture and infrastructure damages, World Vision supported more than 9,000 families including 10,912 children with life-saving relief aid in the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Surigao del Norte.

World Vision, a child-focused and relief aid organization, distributed more than 2,000 food packs, 2,200 hygiene kits, 1,600 kitchen kits, 2,200 non-food items, 1,000 shelter kits, and 900 water purification kits to families who were left without electricity, homes, water, and communications signal for weeks.

World Vision also provided a 7×6 meter tent in Siargao Island, one of the hardest hit communities in Mindanao, south of the Philippines, to assist the local government’s medical efforts in the island.

“We are grateful for the generous contribution of our sponsors and donors to the organization’s emergency response,” says Rommel Fuerte, National Director of World Vision in the Philippines. “But more work needs to be done, especially for the children’s wellbeing.”

Fuerte, who visited affected families and children in Surigao del Norte for several days last December 2021, also expresses his concerns on the impact of Typhoon Odette on children. “For several days, even until now, many of the communities in the affected provinces have no electricity. Families have no proper shelter, and difficulty getting clean water. In a situation such as this, children’s health is at risk making them more vulnerable to illnesses, which will become a cause for concern amid the continuous spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.”

World Vision remains committed to serve more affected families in hard-to-reach areas and complement government efforts in rebuilding devastated communities – providing a safe place for children.