Indian Army provides medical care to Venezuelan nationals at field hospital. Read more on India's humanitarian medical diplomacy efforts.
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Indian Army provides medical care to Venezuelan nationals at field hospital. Read more on India's humanitarian medical diplomacy efforts.
A Day of Empowerment & Compassion . . .
On behalf Mother Teresa Charitable Trust -unit- Mother Teresa Forum, Kancheepuram District, we believe in empowering individuals and supporting our community.
Recently, at Pullipurakoil village, Padalam, we were thrilled to award merit certificates to all our talented tailoring students, celebrating their dedication and new skills!
We also extended a helping hand by providing humanitarian assistance to children and elderly individuals, bringing smiles and much-needed support.
This work is only possible with your support. We invite you to join and serve with us to continue making a positive impact in the lives of many.
Joins ..... https://www.motherteresacharities.org
Unveiling the Power of International Aid in Disaster Relief 🌍
In the face of adversity, the world comes together. Our latest article delves into the indispensable role of international aid in disaster relief, exploring the swift responses, collaborative efforts, and innovative approaches that define effective assistance. Discover the key factors that contribute to successful relief efforts and the global initiatives shaping a resilient future. Join us in understanding the vital role we all play in building a more resilient world.
Read the full article here: https://resqore.com/
@haprelief ・・・ #WithRefugees #LoveArmyForRohingya #HumanitarianAssistance #HAPRelief
Watched 3 great #movies All 4 ☆s for me. Check it out. #humanitarianassistance #humanity #love #comedy #civilwar #action #thriller #travel #France #netflixdvd #dvdnetflix #netflix (at Palm Bay, Florida)
10 Reasons
I have now been in the Philippines for 10 weeks and based in Tacloban for 10 days. So, it seems fitting to give you the top 10 reasons why my job is extraordinary. Sit down and buckle your seat belts for a thought-provoking ride that will make you laugh and cry! Actually, no...don't get your hopes up that high...but there will be pictures of cute kids.
And now that I have your attention, let's begin!
1. The overtime
Working in a humanitarian emergency means that you learn twice as much twice as fast. We work long hours and don't take many days off - partly because of the sense of urgency and partly because there's nothing else to do. So, six months of experience here translates to about a year of experience in a 9-5 job. Nice! I wonder how that goes over in an interview.."I know it says six months, but let's be honest...."
2. The kids
They are the reason I'm here, right? As many of you have noticed, the children here are like, RIDICULOUSLY adorable. I've had the privilege of visiting many different communities and playing with them. What I've noticed is that they don't really know what to make of me. They all stare with wide eyes and mouths open like they're not quite sure if I'm an alien. Some of them will say, "You are so beautiful!" which obviously makes me feel like a million bucks, and others will run away. And one little girl cried. So, mixed reviews on the white girl aid worker. But it's fun to visit with them nonetheless.
3. The Mexican restaurant down the street
Seriously. The first time I had their chicken burrito I almost cried.
4. UNICEF
I've never worked for another UN agency, but based on my interactions and observations, I am with one of the best. UNICEF staff are incredibly talented, professional, and friendly. I learn so much from them every day and I feel very privileged to represent this agency in the response. No one is perfect, but I like our reputation.
5. The ability to effect change
This is a big one for me. One of the most frustrating things is identifying a problem and realizing there is little or nothing you can do to solve it. In the case of Child Protection, these problems are particularly difficult to face. We work to prevent and respond to violence, abuse, and exploitation...so you can imagine the cases that come up.
This week, we witnessed the consequences of gaps in the child protection system. But instead of feeling frustrated, we were able to make ourselves useful. What's amazing is that we are actually in a position to make things better! Our role is to support the government, police, social workers, and shelters to give them the training, staff, or finances that they are lacking. We are here to build up the local responders to help manage the increase in cases as a result of the disaster. I love that! While there will always be things that fall through the cracks, I'm so glad to know that the work we do is actively contributing to solutions.
6. The attitudes
This picture says it all. This little guy was busy cleaning the tent of his Child Friendly Space and I've never seen someone look happier. His school is doubling as an evacuation center - filled to the brim with desperate people who have nowhere to go. He and his friends have likely lost family members in the typhoon. The incredible resilience and joy of the Filipino population has been utterly humbling to witness. It truly is a tremendous privilege to serve such a wonderful group of people.
7. The big TV upstairs
Yes! Our office has a TV upstairs and on Fridays after work we have movie nights. Sometimes it's the little things that help make you feel at home.
8. The expectations
This may be my first emergency and I may only be a beginner in this field, but I'm really having to step up to the plate. My supervisors have high expectations and give me ownership of serious projects. It's both thrilling and daunting to be thrown into these tasks and learn how to navigate them as I go. But I'm so thankful for the challenge. I'm learning so much about myself, how I work with others, and how to take on new roles. It's exciting!
9. Reliable internet
Okay, I know this is totally superficial but OH my goodness it is such a huge blessing to have a wifi connection that doesn't cut out every 2 minutes! Being able to predictably talk to family & friends is really comforting.
10. Learning contentment
Even in my dream job, I find the temptation to worry about the future or focus on all the luxuries I don't have. It's incredibly easy to become discontent. The fight for contentment never goes away and I'm thankful to be learning that in a deeper way here. I have found greater stability and joy in my life because of it. Everything may come and go, but He will never leave me or forsake me. God is my rock, my foundation, my defense, and my motivation. And friends, honestly, that is so much more than enough.
And with that, here are some pictures.
They really love hula hoops.
Like, alot. Also, see what I mean about the "is she an alien" look?
Hula hoop champions!
They loved a guitar to death.
Playing games in the Child Friendly Space!
This little girl was waaay cute.
The trees look like matchsticks. It's crazy.
This is a school. They still have a lot of debris. Most of their classrooms were destroyed.
These girls showed me around their school. As you can see by the writing on the wall, many people hid here during the typhoon.
There's a lot of rebuilding happening in Tacloban, too. Pictures like this make me happy.
Children were asked to write what they would want to say to Typhoon Yolanda. Their notes are powerful to read.
Until next time, thanks for reading!
The Child Protection Soapbox
The first month of my time in the Philippines seemed to crawl by, but wow, this second month was a whirlwind! I am now 1/3 of the way through my contract with UNICEF. I've just arrived in Tacloban City on Leyte island where I will spend the next few months supporting the team here.
So, before I give an update on the project I'm working on, I figured now would probably be a good time to actually explain what I do...(better late than never?)...
I recently met a fellow American in the airport who asked what I'm doing here with the relief effort. When I said, "Child Protection", he said that was something he had never considered. He thought that food and shelter were kind of "it" when it came to humanitarian assistance. Which makes total sense! So, this made me realize I should really take the time to explain what I do because:
1. I think what I do is important and worth understanding.
2. I want all of my friends who meet people in airports to vouch for me. :)
A quick overview of the UN in emergencies (natural disasters, conflicts, alien invasions, you name it):
There are multiple UN agencies that respond in emergencies. UNICEF is one of them (the best, obviously). While UNICEF is the agency that focuses on children, they do a bunch of other stuff in emergencies too. In fact, here in the Philippines they are the lead agency in 4 sectors - more than any other UN organization!
Water, Sanitation, Hygiene
Education
Nutrition
Child Protection (This is me, yay!)
While it's probably easy for you to see why clean water, getting back to school, and access to healthy food are really important, Child Protection in emergencies is less clear. So allow me to step on my soapbox for a paragraph or two and advocate for my little field.
UNICEF defines Child Protection as preventing and responding to violence, abuse, and exploitation against children (including child labor, commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking, etc.). In emergencies, children often become more vulnerable to these risks due to displacement, separation from family, and breakdown of social services. So, our role in Child Protection is to advocate for the most vulnerable group that often gets forgotten in the larger response. I mean, who thinks about the needs and risks for kids when they're developing large-scale evacuation plans, designing tent cities for shelter, or simply planning for the aftermath of a colossal typhoon? We do. That's our job.
In the case of this typhoon, one the main Child Protection issues was trauma. Children were terrified - their homes, schools and communities were destroyed and it impacted them heavily. That's why one of our central initiatives has been facilitating Child Friendly Spaces - safe places for kids to play and laugh and engage in some normal fun activities so that they can begin to heal and recover from their traumatic experience.
And NOW I have reached the end of my background story (so I can give you an actual update on what I'm doing) and I expect all of you who made it this far to become advocates for Child Protection in emergencies. :)
As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm working on a project to document the Child Friendly Spaces we have supported in the Philippines. Over the past two weeks, I visited 12 sites in rural mountain and coastal areas on Panay island - some hours down a bumpy dirt road - to see if UNICEF's initiatives have made a positive difference in the lives of children and their families. I'm going to be doing the same thing here in Leyte.
And now my friends, allow me to take you on photographic journey to tell the story of children on Panay island! Join me if you wish. :)
^^This is a Child Friendly Space! In this tent, mothers have come with their children to play and sing songs. This town had a massive oil spill just two weeks after the Typhoon. Many families were displaced TWICE and lived in a giant, crowded, stuffy evacuation center. A little girl with cerebral palsy has been coming to the Child Friendly Space for a month and her Mom says she is getting much better.
^^ Before UNICEF brought those blocks you see on the left, these children didn't have much to play with. So their daycare worker got some turtles, fresh out of the ocean. It was a great idea, but I think they prefer the blocks...
^^ These little ones...myyyy goodness. They were a riot. The little guy on the right has his head down because he's cracking up. Before this picture, I was playing peekaboo with them from a window inside the building. I think I got them in trouble for making too much noise laughing, but they were so cute I couldn't help it.
^^ Let me tell you, these girls are champions at Jacks. My coworker tried to join in for a little game, but they quickly laughed her off. Wouldn't want to bet against them.
^^ The green structures you see are the leftovers of a school. The community built that Child Friendly Space on the left with bamboo and a tarp as a roof. The kids love it! This is what it looks like inside:
^^ Cute, right?!
And to finish off, here are some cool kids who know what's up.
Ta ta for now, from me and my new friends!
"Maybe you'll actually see a child"
On Monday when I said goodbye to my office mate in Manila, he said, "I'm so excited that you're going to the field. Maybe you'll actually see a child!"
He captured perfectly that out-of-touch element that comes with working at National Headquarters. Working for an agency that is mandated to serve children, I was understandably excited to get to the field. :)
And here I am! Allow me to give you a little geographical context for this post.
That giant red streak of death across the map is the path of Typhoon Yolanda. The green arrow that I drew points to Panay Island. I also circled in green Capiz Province on the northern part of the island. That is where Roxas City is located which serves as the UN hub for the response to all of Panay island.
So, Roxas City! Ta da! I am here for two weeks (working on a project that I will explain shortly) before moving to my new duty station on another island. It's so great to be in the field! And without further ado....
What I'm doing in Roxas:
In emergencies, one of the primary responses for child protection is the implementation of what we call Child Friendly Spaces (CFS). Most of these children experienced severe psychosocial trauma and their communities have been turned upside down. To provide a sense of normalcy for kids, a safe place to play, to be with their friends & family, and to be referred to specialized services if needed, we set up CFS. Simply put, they are tents with daily activities based on the context (coloring pictures, putting on plays, singing and dancing, reading, etc.).
Roughly 180 CFS have been set up across all of the Yolanda affected areas. Beginning here on Panay island, we are going to visit each of the CFS and begin to document how they are functioning. There is an established set of global minimum standards for CFS in emergencies and a host of other principles based on the Philippines context. So, we will be traveling to visit the spaces, talk to facilitators, view the activities, see the children, and begin to document - the precursor to a full monitoring which will come in a couple of months.
Today, my colleague and I attended a session with an NGO that is training children to be helpers at the CFS in their community. She taught a module on Child Protection in emergencies and it was amazing to hear how many wonderful ideas they had for how to support the children they know. Children really are incredible resources for their own protection. Asking them what they think and feel reveals a different perspective that both enriches and simplifies our child protection efforts.
Here are some pictures of our training and bits of Roxas City.
^^ Drawing pictures of what makes feel safe and protected.
^^ Energizer break! They did some Dance, Dance Revolution at one point and it was fabulous.
^^ Hey look! UNICEF made it in the category of what makes children safe! #winning
^^ Okay, this little guy was my favorite. He was so precious. He said that he could help other children by teaching them how to read and write. I died.
^^ Also, these kids were amazing artists. I felt suddenly insecure about my marginal stick figure capabilities.
^^ Pork. Everywhere. Like, I saw a few pig heads on the drive over.
^^ Say hello to the tricycle! They are insanely fun to ride in / on.
From Roxas, over and out.