IGNITE THE MAGAZINE OF ADRA PHILIPPINES VOLUME 3 NO. 2. JULY - DECEMBER 2017
Surviving with
a Smile A Story of Hope from Marawi City
contents
Staff Box EDITOR
VJ MATIAS
SNAPSHOTS
Round -up of ADRA news and events in the Philippines
FACTS & FIGURES
Our report through numbers, showing how ADRA has responded to disaster victims
FEATURE STORY
An incredible story of a loving mother who has learnt to take care of her family through ADRA EMBRACE Project
COVER STORY
Meet a Muslim young lady with an amazing story of hope, from Marawi city
ADRA CONNECTIONS TRIPS
Paul Westerlund reflects on his mission to the Philippines together with a group of ADRA Connections Australia
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LAYOUT DESIGN
TRUST SAYI
PHOTOGRAPHY
VJ MATIAS
SUPERVISING EDITOR
TOM PIGNON
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IGNITE VOLUME 3 NO.2 JULY - DECEMBER 2017
From our Director’s Desk
Hello! Welcome to the latest issue of IGNITE - the magazine of ADRA Philippines. Through the articles and stories here I hope you will gain a greater appreciation of not just what we are doing but, perhaps more importantly, why we are serving our communities across the Philippines.
As the Adventist Development & Relief Agency we are inspired and given purpose through God’s word in the Bible. In Micah 6:8 God calls us to a life filled abundantly with love, mercy and justice. We are to love in a way so that others see God’s character in our work. We are to demonstrate mercy in our lives through kindness and compassion. Knowing that a commitment to serving others brings out the best in ourselves, and those around us. We are to promote justice and understand that all people deserve the opportunity to be the unique individual they were created to be. We live it so others may have it. We share it, so it to can be shared. This past year has seen exciting work in disaster risk reduction, both here in Cavite but also beyond and across the Philippines. ADRA Philippines co-hosted a provincial-wide colloquium, which was attended by about 150 participants, mostly disaster risk reduction planners from 23 towns and municipalities, but also the Adventist church and other faith-based organizations. This resulted in a closer partnership with the Cavite Office for Public Safety and the Humanitarian Leadership Academy to address some of the challenges we had
identified, including the development of a province-wide contingency plan for the Big One (an anticipated 7.2 magnitude earthquake from the West Valley Fault, a 100km fault that runs through six cities of Metro Manila and nearby provinces). Emergency Relief continues to be a core component of our work. Last year we responded to large barangay fires, typhoons, floods and armed conflict. In partnership with the local church we were able to provide relief for around 4,500 families displaced by the Marawi conflict. 2017 saw us start the year responding to the significant impact of Typhoon Nina and then end the year with responses to Typhoons Urduja and Vinta. As I write we are finalizing plans to continue our support to 6,000 families affected by Vinta in Mindanao. 2017 saw the completion of two of our Haiyan recovery projects in Leyte but we remain in Leyte, as we do in Iloilo and Camarines Sur with a longer term development program. We have been blessed with strong and committed project teams, supported by a dedicated country office, implementing projects in health and nutrition, resilient livelihoods, disaster risk reduction as well as water, sanitation and hygiene. These are our staff who work long hours, often in challenging conditions, serving their communities so that all may live as God intended. That is our purpose in this work and I hope you will join us in showing love, mercy and justice to those in your community.
TOM PIGNON
Country Director
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Field Notes It never fails to amaze me how Filipinos smile without a hint of sadness despite being in tough situations. In every project or emergency response that I go to, there’s sure to be at least one person - whether they have experienced fire, flooding, a typhoon, extreme poverty, hunger, etc. - to smile like there’s nothing wrong with the world, and that puts a smile on my face too.
VJ Matias, Communications, Advocacy & PR Officer
Snapshots ADRA NEWS & EVENTS ROUND-UP
YOU made it Happen
Together - those who supported the Project YOUmanity concert, - we made it happen. Project YOUmanity built latrines, a bathing facility and better access to water for the Agta Community in Casiguran, Aurora. Our field staff Moises Musico also conducted an awareness program to teach the community more about water and sanitation. ADRA Philippines thanks all those who have made this project possible. It wasn’t us, but YOU, who made a better world.
Disaster Resilient Youth It’s never too early to prepare the people for disaster. ADRA Philippines, in partnership with ADRA Germany, funded by Aktion DeutschlandHilft, launched BATANG READY (Resilient Child and Empowered Advocates for Disaster Risk Reduction). Together with the DepEd Division of Iloilo, DepEd Districts of Ajuy and Barotac Viejo, and five schools in Iloilo, ADRA aims to empower children in Haiyan affected areas to take direct action to identify and mitigate disasters. The projects will help children understand the impacts of climate change and increase their resilience to natural and human-made hazards.
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Getting Cavite Ready for the Big One ADRA Philippines, funded by ADRA Czech and ADRA International, and in partnership with the Humanitarian Leadership Academy Philippines and the Cavite Office of Public Safety, launched Project VIPER (Vulnerability and Impact Reduction to Earthquake). The project aims to prepare Cavite for “the Big One” - a threat of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that may result to destructive ground shaking throughout Metro Manila and Cavite. Project VIPER will facilitate the development of a province-wide contingency plan for “the Big One”, and link this provincial plan to the national level of support for the earthquake.
ADRA Korea renovates a school A group of volunteers organized by ADRA Korea came to the Philippines to renovate classrooms and build beautiful plant boxes for Balayungan Elementary School in Maragondon, Cavite. The group mostly consisted of women aged 50 and above, but that didn’t stop them from putting in the work just to give the students a more conducive place for education. The group worked with volunteers from the community as well and cherished the time working with each other. They also taught the kids about proper hygiene and distributed hygiene kits to all students of the elementary school.
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Facts and Figures
When they need us, we’re already there. ADRA Philippines has responded to different disasters and crises throughout the Philippines from July to December 2017. Our mission is to continue to show God’s love by providing hope and comfort for those in need.
8468 FAMILIES
2400
KITCHEN SETS
850
SHELTER KITS
4320
FOOD PACKS
898
BED KITS
More than six thousand families were affected by Typhoon Urduja, Typhoon Vinta, fires in Luzon, fire in Puerto Princesa, floods in CDO and the ongoing conflict in Marawi City. Most of these families recieved different kinds of aid through the help of ADRA Philippines.
Kitchen sets were given to victims of fire who had lost most of their processions. This was a step towards helping them to get back on their feet.
At the beginning of 2017, over 800 victims of Typhoon Nina received shelter kits so that they could have accommodation as they work to rebuild their homes.
Over 4,000 food packs were given to refugees of the Marawi conflict and victims of other natural disasters in order to help these struggling families survive.
Life is certainly not easy for the refugees from Marawi City, but as a way of lightening their struggles ADRA provided Bed Kits for these refugees in order to help them get some rest at night.
Presence Map 2017
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Feature Story
Refining
Motherhood
D
ianna’s mornings, like most mothers, have become routine. She starts her day to prepare meals for her four children, three of which go to school. She’s mastered the art of multitasking – preparing their bags, making sure they finish their food, giving them baths, dressing them up and finally hailing a pedicab to bring them to school. “It’s not easy doing everything on my own, but I have to it” sighs Dianna. Dianna’s husband works in Manila. He’s been working in the city as a construction woker since Dianna and he had their first baby. He only comes home during special occasions like birthdays and graduations, thus leaving Dianna to tend to matters at home. Dianna worries though, that her hus10
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The best part of being a mother is loving my children. band is sick. “I think he’s sick but he’s hiding it from me. I noticed that he’s losing weight drastically” says Dianna with a worried look on her face, “I told him to have himself checked by the doctor when we have enough money to go to the hospital”. But it’s not financially possible for Dianna’s husband to quit work. “If my husband doesn’t work in the city, I don’t know how I will be able to support our family. My children go to school and I don’t know where to get the money for our everyday expenses.” It was a blessing to Diana when she was able to earn extra from doing laundry. “I earn around 2,000 Pesos a month” she says. But having to do laundry and taking care of her four children at the same time has been taking a toll on Dianna. “Sometimes I complain about doing all these by myself especially when one of my children get sick.” Dianna’s family has been included in ADRA’s EMBRACE Project, which tackles mother and child health and nutrition. “ADRA taught me how to be a better mother. At first I thought that providing for my children and sending them to school was enough” Dianna says. She was so caught up in trying to provide for her family that there were times that she neglected her kids. “At times I focus too much on cleaning the house and doing
laundry and I just let my children be without paying attention to what they are doing.” Now Dianna has learned to appreciate the value and importance of spending time with family. “When I spend time and bond with my children I understand more about them and what their needs are” Dianna says. “If I see that they’re doing fine, I’m doing fine as well.” Through the EMBRACE Project, mothers are taught not only to take care of their children, but of their own health and nutrition as well. “It’s important to take care of ourselves as mothers,” Dianna says “Aside from making sure our family is healthy, we should also make sure that us mothers are healthy.” Dianna still longs for her husband to spend more time with the family, but for now, she’s happy that she has been becoming a better mother from the added knowledge she gets from ADRA’s programs. “The best part of being a mother is loving my children and when they show their love to me even through the simplest ways” beams Dianna.
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Cover Story
Surviving with a Smile. I STILL WANT TO REACH MY DREAMS. IT’S BECOME MORE DIFFICULT NOW BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED, BUT I KNOW THAT IF I JUST KEEP ON WORKING HARD, ALLAH WILL HELP US AND MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER AGAIN.
A D R A h a s p rov i d e d re l i ef fo r a ro u n d 4 , 5 0 0 fa m i l i e s d i s p l a c e d by t h e M a ra w i c o nf l i ct .
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ne doesn’t need Tina to utter a word to learn that she’s gone through a lot. Her bruised hands, clothes that evidently need to go to the laundry, and her swollen eyes seemingly pleading for help, all tell of a story that would leave anybody who’d listen with a heavy heart. 18-year old Tina (not her real name) stopped school to support her parents who were already too old and too weak to work. She was in her second year studying Information Technology in Bukidnon before deciding to stop and work as a cashier in a grocery store back home in Marawi. “I.T. will help me land a job easily because I.T. is the future,” she says “because everybody is using technology everywhere.” But even Tina’s desire to finish school is grounded on unselfish motives, thinking of her parents before herself. “I want to finish school so I could work and give my family a good and comfortable life first, and then I can think of what I want to do with my
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None of the stores would give me a job. They were hesitant on letting me work because I was a Muslim. life” T i n a a n s we re d w h e n asked about her dreams and aspirations. But the Marawi conflict between ISIS supporters and the Philippine military has shattered Tina’s dreams, whether it be for her family or for herself. WAR SHATTERS DREAMS “We were trapped for five days.” The firing broke out and Tina, with her 3-year-old nephew in tow, scurried around the city, desperately looking for a safe place to stay. Tina’s parents were able to find a ride out of the city, but there was no room left for Tina. “We were trying to get out of the city, it didn’t matter where as long as we could get out but all of the vehicles, all the buses and cars, everything was full and we couldn’t get a ride.” Unable to get out of the city, Tina went back to their house to check if it was safe to stay there, but what she found, or what she didn’t find, was even more heartbreaking. IT WAS EMPTY. “It’s all gone - everything I worked hard for,” cried Tina, breaking down. “All of the cabinets were empty, my laptop, my tablet, the money I’ve been saving up to finish school, they stole it all.” GETTING BACK UP Eventually getting out of Marawi, Tina found herself in Amai Manabilang, Lanao del Sur, where her family owns a small house. “We have shelter here, but we have no money to buy food.” Even with renewed determination to get back on her feet, the harshness of this discriminating world kept on dampening Tina’s spirit. 14
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“None of the stores would give me a job. They were hesitant on letting me work because of the conflict in Marawi and I was a muslim. They wanted nothing to do with a Muslim.” Tina had no choice but to work in a corn farm, peeling corn. Showing her bruised hand from peeling hundreds and hundreds of corn everyday, Tina again breaks down, thinking of what their life has come to. “It hurts so much, but I need to keep doing it so our family, so my parents could eat.” ADRA RESPONDS As part of ADRA’s response to the victims of the Marawi conflict, ADRA distributed food packs to 800 families who sought refuge in Amai Manabilang. The food packs include a sack of rice, canned goods, cooking oil, mung beans, noodles and other food items enough to feed a family for one week. Families continue to struggle to find food, as their own livelihoods and sources of income have been disrupted. “Thank you to ADRA for all your help. This may just be small to you, but it means a lot to us, it really does.” says Tina while wiping her tears and trying her best to show a smile. ADRA has provided relief for around 4,500 families displaced by the Marawi conflict. NOTHING STOPPING TINA FROM SMILING The Marawi conflict has brought nothing but unfortunate events to Tina’s life, but the sun still rises every morning. “I still want to find work and earn money for school. I still want to finish school and give my parents a good life. I still want to reach my dreams. It’s become more difficult now because of the things that happened, but I know that if I just keep on working hard, Allah will help us and make everything better again.
#ADRAResponds ADRA ended 2016 with an emergency response to Typhoon Nina. The typhoons don’t seem to take breaks as Visayas and Mindanao was hit with a one-two punch of Typhoons Vinta and Urduja last December 2017. Fortunately our ever ready response team doesn’t take breaks too! ADRA responded by distributing food kits to 2,700 families affected by Vinta and Urduja all over Visayas and Mindanao. Our prayers go out to them as they recover from the devastating effects of the typhoons to their families.
A
group of Australian volunteers organized by ADRA Connections Australia went on a trip of a lifetime to Bato, Leyte. The team built latrines and a water pump for the Badjao community in Barangay Dolho. We interviewed the team leader, Paul Westerlund, about his experience in being a part of this life-changing trip. What is your role in the group? My role in the group is being a team leader, that is sort of running up the people that are going to be a part of this group. Trying to keep them motivated on the journey and keep them together.
Connections
AND TRANSFORMATIONS
WITH PAUL WESTERLUND
Talk about the whole experience with the community. Well, I had expectations of what it would be like, a few of my expectations were met but a lot of them were exceeded, our work there was, I mean it may sound like a clichÊ, but yes it was life-changing. I think the biggest part that really impacted me was getting a chance to meet the people, putting a face to all the brochures that we had read about them, putting a face to the village, the place, and just getting a real feel of the people. For me, a lot of times I see an older person I would see my own grandma, or when I see parents, I would see my own parents, you know, kids running around, I would see in them my own little siblings. For me it was getting a chance to finally meet family and create real relationships that we hope to improve on in the coming future as well. I was really overwhelmed by just the spirit of the people, especially us coming in, you know from where I come from in our own western culture or let me say society, when people come over trying to help, they look at you as if to say, who are you? Who do you think you are coming into this place? But when we got here, people were so inviting, so welcoming, so loving, we felt this genuine love that there were people who were happy that we are there. For me that was a big learning experience, because sometimes we can be so arrogant even when we are in trouble, so arrogant we deflect any sort of help but these people just welcomed us. There is just so much I could say. The whole experience was certainly life-changing, it was an eye-opener for my self and for the team as well. How has this experience transformed the group? One of the greatest transformations I’ve seen in our group is putting down the barriers that we often use to deflect people, to stop people from
being involved in our lives and help us grow. The development in our relationship as a team really drew us closer together, we became more like a family. I saw a need that there is just so much that we can do for our brothers and sisters, no matter where they are from, we are all part of the same human race, we are all family. We are all one people in God’s eyes. What will you do from now onwards to continue growing this positive seed of love and care that God has planted in you? As a team we have to continue to follow up on this path. The reality is that we came here in Dolho, to a place where they are suffering so much because of poverty. You know a lot of times I spend thinking, the reality is I watch these people here in Dolho, to me in the spiritual sense there is not much difference between their physical poverty and the spiritual poverty
THERE IS SO MUCH WE CAN DO FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE FROM, WE ARE ALL PART OF THE SAME HUMAN RACE, WE ARE ALL FAMILY. back home in Australia of a lot of our young people, our families, people that we are connected to, who all are experiencing the poverty of the Spirit. They all need this spiritual growth; it all connects back to God the source of everything. We need Him so much in our lives. The poverty of not having enough time to spend with Him; I personally got a lot of chances from my experience here to get to connect with God. Back home we have such a busy lifestyle, really we are just putting ourselves in a place of poverty, we’re never satisfied with things we have; but the people of Dolho are super satisfied even with the less than little that they have. You know what we consider as nothing is something for them and they are just proud about it. So as a team I hope that we can carry this mentality to establish a relationship with Christ and with other people as well. This place here is a mission field that God had called us to, but when we leave this place we have mission fields in our homes, in our work places, in our schools and all the connections that we have to continue to end the poverty of the Spirit. I personally hope to continue to grow, to be open to experiences, continue help others and just lean on God more than anything. One thing I’ve learned from the beginning of this journey to this far is to follow God’s will and He will take care of the rest. Just enjoy the journey that He takes you on! IGNITE MAGAZINE
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Parting Shot The ADRA Truck has been to various places all around the Philippines, carrying relief to those who need it. It travels far, and has gone through a lot, but has always arrived to its destination. Whenever and wherever it is needed, the ADRA truck will be there.
HELP US
REACH MORE PEOPLE!
If you wish to donate to ADRA Philippines, you can transfer funds via bank deposit at: Bank: Philippine National Bank Account Name: Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Account Number: 210545300019 Branch: Silang Address: J.P. Rizal Sabutan, Silang, Cavite, Philippines 4118 Identifier Code: PNBMPHMM Bank: Philippine National Bank Dollar Account Account Name: Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Account Number: 210492400021 Branch Code: 156315 Branch: 1665 Silang Branch RBU
For donation inquiries, please email
finance@adra.ph
Thank you for your financial support!
www.adra.ph