Friday, November 22, 2013

A Long Road To Recovery

After a natural disaster, like the typhoon that struck the Philippines, the initial aid that pours in is only the first step in a very long and arduous journey towards recovery. It can take years for a country to get back to where it once was.

Some areas of the Philippines are expected to be without electricity for more than a year. Homes and local infrastructure could take up to 4 years to rebuild. Reestablishing agriculture could take up to 7 years. It is estimated to take close to $12 billion to enable communities to recover to where they were before the typhoon.

Initially, the most important thing is getting food, water, medicine, and shelter to those in need – HOPE International Development Agency is working hard to help as many people as we can.

For the people of the Philippines, receiving emergency supplies is just the beginning of the journey.

Right now we’re focused on the initial relief efforts.

Once families have shelter, for example, communities need to be rebuilt; this includes schools, water systems, and agriculture.

Clean water, currently non-existent, will mean families don’t have to worry about disease and illness in these difficult times. Education, the very thing that will help children grow up free from poverty, needs to be re-established quickly. And agriculture, completely destroyed by the disaster, will feed the families and provide much needed income.

We will help the families rebuild their lives today, and into the future. We will do whatever it takes to support them in this time of need; we will not stop until they are back on their feet and living free from the restraints they now find themselves under.