Muslim Charity Touching Lives in Philippines

Typhoon Haiyan left a wave of utter destruction killing thousands and shattering the lives of millions particularly in Samar and Leyte in the Eastern Visayas and Cebu. Eastern Visayas is the third poorest region of Philippines, and first on the list of areas with the highest income inequality. In 2012, 37% of its population or 1.7 million people were managing to survive with less than P90 a day, the rough equivalent of the global $2 per day poverty line. Muslim Charity along with other humanitarian organisations carried out relief efforts and has begun with recovery to provide home and emergency shelter for vulnerable families and communities.

The Emergency Survival Kits distributed to the affected families included tarpaulins, ground mates, blankets, cooking implements, along with some basic tools to fix temporary shelters and have at least some protection from the weather along with to cook food.

During the relief phases Muslim Charity helped in saving lives through the distribution of Emergency Survival Kits consisting of tarpaulins, ground mates, blankets, cooking implements, along with some tools which were distributed amongst the families in rural areas of Leyte, Philippines.

A combination of poverty, Typhoon Haiyan and a lack of family support has posed enormous challenges for the vulnerable people to meet their basic needs like housing, protection from frequent typhoons and most importantly psycho-social needs of children. Muslim Charity is beginning the rehabilitation phase in Leyte. Upon returning from a recent visit to the region, Muslim Charity’s Director of Programmes, Irfan Rajput, commented: “Our priority is making sure people can rebuild their houses through the provision of material for roofing and a multi-purpose community and evacuation centre is our mid-term priority”.