Hands On Disaster Response

No Comments | February 15th, 2007 | Trackback

Hands On Disaster Response has worked in Indonesia (earthquake response), USA (Katrina assistance) and Thailand (Tsunami response), and currently is involved in the Typhoon Reming Response in the Philippines – this hurricane struck on November 30 and “…destroyed/damaged almost 300,000 homes and killed 1,600 (about the same ranges as Katrina) it fell out of the news within days – yet the people still need help, and support. They are hard working, friendly and having a tough time getting back on their feet.”

The three founders have experience in relief and have arranged a house where volunteers can stay – they currently have nineteen volunteers from four countries (Canada, England, US and the Philippines). Conditions are basic but volunteers of all skill levels are welcome. Challenges abound – electricity may be out or only coming from a generator from dusk til dawn, and there is no internet in town at the moment. Volunteers do of course have to pay for your own transport, but once they arrive, accommodation and two meals a day are available. The website has thorough and realistic information about visas, safety, health, and so on.

They report that it’s hot, dirty and hard work…and they love it: “our projects have included cleaning the 3 foot depth of lahar from roads, yards, drainage ditches and local schools; clearing, cleaning, and repairing the roof on the local school, and organizing the procurement of materials to replace lost fishing boats.”

Check out some of the pictures on flickr here, and if you’d like to help out but can’t make it to the Philippines, find information on how to donate here (“Donations will go directly to buy supplies, tools, and materials to allow us to expand our number of projects, for food and housing for volunteers, and to allow us to extend our stay”).

I’ll wrap this up with a quote from their arrival advice, which is good to remind yourself of in any number of situations: “Relax on the flight and be patient on the ground. Think and breathe deeply if things don’t go exactly as planned. You will eventually get here. It will be OK.”