Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines - Emergency Assistance - IFRC 2014

February 2014 - On November 8 2013 Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) made landfall in the Philippines a densely populated country of 92 million people. The category five typhoon killed over 6 000 Filipinos caused 4 million people to be displaced from their homes and caused severe damage to infrastructure including homes roads schools and health centres. Although many people have already received life-saving humanitarian assistance significant humanitarian needs remain including early recovery activities that contribute to building communities that are more resilient. With the support of DFATD and other donors the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is helping up to 500 000 people affected by Typhoon Haiyan by providing safe drinking water improving sanitation or the proper treatment and disposal of waste water rehabilitating shelters and restoring people’s livelihoods to make sure they are able to meet their basic needs. Project activities include: (1) providing essential household items such as clothing; (2) providing materials and cash assistance to help people repair and rebuild their shelters and settle in new areas; (3) providing safe water proper sanitation and hand washing facilities; (4) promoting the importance of proper hygiene to prevent disease outbreaks; (5) providing material support to help people seek out livelihoods opportunities in small business agricultural production and construction trades; (6) providing basic health services by setting up an emergency hospital and mobile clinics and by supporting rural health clinics; and (7) providing training to the Philippine Red Cross such as disaster management and search and rescue.

The expected immediate outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to essential household items; (2) increased access to safe adequate and durable shelters; (3) increased access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities; (4) improved hygiene practices; (5) increased access to livelihoods to allow people to meet their basic needs; (6) increased access to basic health care; and (7) improved ability of the Philippine Red Cross to deliver services in response to disasters. The expected intermediate outcome is reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.