The Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge
DISASTER IN THE PHILIPPINES
ROTARY WATER-SURVIVAL BOX APPEAL
From District Governor Onye Reyes, District 3820, Philippines. 11 January 2007
The water Survival Boxes have been so significant, and like the Shelterboxes, it has called the attention of so many homeless residents, its various material content have provided many benefits. Community constituents have been requesting now for more and if you still have some stocks, I may request volume of this water boxes. I'll just finish the relief distribution and thereafter, I will concentrate on this aspect. Your assistance is highly commendable. Thanks a lot and good day.
Yours respectfully,
DG Onye Reyes
D-3820
Latest Update 10 January 2007
A total of 60 WSBs were sent from Midsomer Norton on 8 December and air freighted to Manila where they arrived on 11 December. They were consigned to the National Philippines Red Cross and the local District Governor Teotimo Reyes who made arrangements for their transportation to the disaster area.
Attached are photographs showing the devastation caused by the recent typhoons in the Philippines, and a couple of families that have benefited from receipt of our Water-Survival Boxes. The first two photos are courtesy of Tom Henderson and Shelterbox, the others have been received today from DG Teotimo Reyes in District 3820, Philippines.
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Photo 1- shows the Balderana family - Jenny is 9 months pregnant and expecting to give birth to her second child any day. Her house was destroyed by the recent typhoon and her nearest hospital is in a city with no electricity or clean water. Jenny, who is 26, husband Alvin and their three-year-old daughter Gina live in the village of Broy Lidong, which was hit by a severe typhoon that brought devastating mudslides (details kindly provided by Shelterbox Trust) Photo 2 - shows one of the townships devastated by torrential rain, flooding and mud slides Photo 3 - shows a family of survivors with their Water-Survival Box Photo 4 - shows a second family of survivors with their WSB and what is left of their former home
Latest Update 13 DECEMBER, 2006The 60 Water-Survival Boxes sent from Somerset on 8 December arrived in Manila airport on 11 December and have been consigned to the Philippines National Red Cross agency.
The Red Cross, working with Rotary District 3820 has arranged for them to be flown by Philippines Air Force transport to the disaster area.
BBC TV will be covering the disaster and the humanitarian aid provided by Shelterbox
PRESS RELEASE 11 DECEMBER, 2006
Devastated Philippines – Water-Survival Box update
Around 5,000 people are now feared dead in the Philippines where devastation wrought by two recent typhoons is said to resemble the aftermath of the Boxing Day Tsunami. Some 80,000 people have been left homeless. They lack safe drinking water and in most cases have lost all their household possessions.
The provincial capital Legaspi experienced a 10ft high flood which has left the city without electricity, clean water or sanitation. However, the worst-hit area is around the nearby volcano Mount Mayon, where torrential rain swept walls of rocks and black volcanic mud onto dozens of villages and small town. 18 villages have been completely destroyed after they were hit by 30ft tall walls of volcanic ash and mud and in one village 1,000 people who are now living in a church.
So far very little outside aid has reached the region and more help is desperately needed.
The consignment of 60 Water-Survival Boxes sent by air to the Philippines at the weekend have now reached Manila. They are due to be flown to Legaspi by the Philippines Air Force within the next 24 hours.
More funds are urgently needed if further help is to be sent.
Latest Update 10 December 2006
On Friday, 8 December a total of 60 filled Water-Survival Boxes were collected from our base in Midsomer Norton and taken to London Heathrow. They will be loaded onto a flight bound for Manila, Philippines, which is scheduled to arrive on Monday afternoon 11th December. Representatives of another UK Rotary aid organisation (Shelterbox Trust) will arrange for them to be taken overland to the disaster area. In this way some 300 typhoon victims will have access to safe drinking water and a variety of essential survival items just days after the disaster that struck them.
This consignment represents our entire stock of filled boxes and we urgently need donations of money with which to obtain further supplies. These will be used in the short term to send further help to the Philippines, and in the longer term to restock our warehouse - to be ready for the next disaster.
Please give this as much publicity as possible so that we can continue to give further humanitarian aid.
Last weekend Typhoon Durian caused torrential rains and mudslides in the Philippines devastating towns and villages. More than 1,000 people died, 800,000 were left in need of help and several thousands are homeless. One of the most urgent problems facing relief agencies is the provision of a supply of safe drinking water.
A SOLUTION TO THIS IS THE WATER-SURVIVAL BOX DEVELOPED BY
THE ROTARY CLUB OF CHELWOOD BRIDGE IN NORTH-EAST SOMERSET
The standard BOX has two functions. It contains a filter cartridge, matching supply of water-treatment tablets and is also filled with a selection of useful hardware and hygiene items. Once the welfare items have been removed, each WATER-SURVIVAL BOX can be used to purify up to 1,100 litres of polluted water, making it safe and pleasant to drink. As an example, 1,100 litres is 5,000 cups - enough say, for a group of four people drinking ten cups a day for about four months.
On behalf of all 53 Rotary Clubs in Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset the Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge is again* co-ordinating the supply, distribution, and return of filled waterboxes to provide front-line survival supplies to those who have lost everything in the recent disaster.
We are sending our current stock of 55 filled waterboxes by air freight to the Philippines – to arrive in the next few days. A further 260 empty waterboxes are also available but we need money with which to purchase essential survival items and pay for transportation costs. Rotarians and other volunteers will do all the physical work involved so that every £1 donated will be used to pay for boxes, contents and transport.
Each box, complete with filtration equipment and items required for survival can be purchased for £105. To assist in this vital humanitarian work we are asking people to send money in the form of cheques made out to WorldWaterWorks Limited - to be forwarded to Rotary, c/o The White House, Pensford, Bristol BS39 4NE. Donations can also be made on-line at www.worldwaterworks.org WorldWaterWorks Limited is a registered charity no: 1116432 and gift aid forms are available by phoning 01761-490369.
All donations will be used to purchase waterboxes and essential contents.
* after the Boxing Day, 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean, and following a massive public response to our appeal for help, we were able to send more than 3,200 filled waterboxes to India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.
