They were living in a bus shelter!

We reported last year that the Rotary Club of Billericay was recognized for the scale of its donations to Shelter Box, receiving the organization's Bronze Award for donating 25 boxes.  Since then we have donated 8 ShelterBoxes at the time of Typhoon Haiyan to support this most worthy of organization's efforts to help those affected by disasters worldwide.  We reported recently that one this latest donation went to Zimbabwe. 

Since then, Typhoon Rammasun, locally named Glenda, hit the Philippines in July 2014. It was the  first typhoon to directly impact the Philippines in 2014 and the first since Typhoon Haiyan (for which the club originally funded 8 ShelterBoxes).  In fact, it was the biggest typhoon to hit this area in 40 years, with wind speeds near 125 mph.  Heavy rain averaged 4-8 inches along and near its path as it travelled across the southern Philippines with peaks at over 11 inches in some areas.  An estimated 90% of the people of Manila lost power, as poles were toppled and lines downed, and over 8 million people lost power as a result of the storm.  More than 530,000 people took refuge in evacuation centres. The death Toll was estimated at 106 with over 1200 injured and thousands homeless.  It is expected to be is the third costliest tropical cyclone in Philippine history.

We have just heard that our latest four Shelterboxes were delivered to the Philippines at the end of August to help in the aftermath of Typhoon Rammusan.

The local government estimates that about 7,000 homes in Bicol were totally destroyed by Rammasun, as the typhoon passed through the region it flattened thousands of homes, built largely of fragile materials like bamboo and thatch, as well as felling many of the region’s coconut trees. Coconut trees are the primary source of income for many of the region’s inhabitants who harvest them for copra, the raw material used to make coconut oil.

Working with the local authorities, Rotarians and local community volunteers, response volunteers have already started to erect ShelterBox tents in the affected area, and continue to deliver aid to assist families made homeless by Typhoon Rammusan.

 As reported at the time, a ShelterBox Response Team was deployed immediately to assess the damage in the region with the decision to send further aid and teams resulting in Chris Alderson (UK) and Owen Smith (NZ) arriving in Legazpi.  The team was impressed by the community spirit that greeted them upon arrival, as Chris Alderson explains.

‘The exposure to previous storms has imbued great resilience in the people of Legazpi, who had already begun some reconstruction of homes and clearing of fallen trees when we arrived. Sadly though it quickly became clear that not all families were going to be in a position to rebuild their homes.’

‘In the township of Mabinit in the Legazpi municipality we met one family who had taken refuge in a bus shelter. Their own house had been completely demolished by the typhoon to the extent that where once stood a family household now only a few timbers and scattered household items remained.’

When Owen and Chris first met the Alaurin family all eight members, including six children ranging from two months old to 11 years of age, were sheltering in the bus shelter that measured no more than two metres by three metres. As a result of the storm both parents are currently unemployed and before the ShelterBox team arrived stood little chance of receiving support to provide shelter for their family.

 Working with the local authorities, Rotarians and local community volunteers, Chris and Owen were able to erect a ShelterBox tent at the site of the Alaurin’s former family home.

‘The Alaurin family now have a warm, dry and secure place to live whilst they begin the longer term task of rebuilding their home and in turn their lives. They are one of the tens of families who ShelterBox has been able to help within these first few days of aid distribution, and that is thanks to the generous support of our donors worldwide.