In 2007, I traveled to the Philippines where I served as best man in a college friend’s wedding. I’m one of the four in the picture to the left – I’ll let you guess which.
I remember that what made me most nervous about the entire experience was not leaving North America for the first time, giving a best man speech to an audience comprised largely of non-English speakers or even the country’s recent political turmoil.
Instead, I was terrified of the endless aisle I had to walk down in the church to lead the wedding profession – all alone – in front of everyone. At the end of the day, walking a long straight line in front of an audience is not necessarily my strongest skill.
I reflect back on this now, in light of Typhoon Haiyan, and my past fears seem even more unfounded in light of the legitimate fears and worry of Filipino residents.
As we have mentioned on this blog in the past, one of our missions at WaterFilters.NET is to bring clean drinking water to the world, whether that means supporting well drilling operations in Ethiopia or working with students to develop global water shortage solutions.
With the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, there will be no shortage of fundraisers or relief efforts – some of which are in the planning stages by my friends – and many of which we’ll be happy to support. In the meantime, I wanted to share some relief organizations that are supporting clean-up efforts in the Philippines – many of which are also focusing on clean drinking water – and some information on how you can donate:
1. UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) – As noted on the home page of the unicef website, ‘They Need Everything’ – shelter, food and of course clean drinking water. A donation to UNICEF will do a great deal to ease the suffering that this once in a lifetime storm has unloaded on Filipino children and families. You can donate online at their site or via text per the image to the left.
2. Action Against Hunger – It’s odd to say fortunately in times like this, but in this instance, it is quite fortunate that Action Against Hunger had extensive experience working across the Philippines, prior to Typhoon Haiyan. This experience helped them to immediately distribute survival kits containing buckets, soap and chlorine tablets. Your donations will help to keep this effort ongoing.
3. Operation USA – a Los Angeles-based relief agency, Operation USA is aiding in the relief efforts by sending water purification supplies to the most impacted areas in the Philippines. Donations from individuals and businesses are encouraged.
4. World Vision – focused on building a better world for children, World Vision has worked to put together a rapid response designed to help restore power and water supplies for the nearly 600,00 displaced residents. Donating on the World Vision website is easy and takes only a matter of moments.
5. Facebook / Red Cross – Facebook and the Red Cross are partnering to make it easy to donate $10 to the relief efforts. When opening up my own Facebook news feed, I see a Donate $10 at the very top of my feed. It truly could not be easier.
These are just five out of hundreds of organizations and individuals working around the clock to help put things back in place in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan. I would like to thank them all first-hand, on behalf of myself and my friends, while also acknowledging the work done by so many more.
If there is a particular organization you support, I encourage you to share it via a comment below.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
What about Charity: Water? Do you know if they have any initiatives going on to bring clean water to the Philippines?
Matt – great question.
charity: water does not currently do work in any city in the Philippines, but does work with and support their local partner in the area, Action Against Hunger, who is linked to above.
You can learn more in their post below:
http://bit.ly/1dqMomR
Full disclosure, WaterFilters.NET does a great deal of work with charity: water, including partnering on the digging of wells in impoverished parts of the world. You can learn more about our work with charity: water, and see some pictures, in our post below:
http://bit.ly/16FgcKS
Hello, I am already collaborating with Waves for Water, their mission is to bring clean water to every area in the world that needs it. I raised some money with them as well as 10 filters that I will bring myself to the Philippines. My problem now, and what I am trying to find is where to take those filters, most of the information I find online is to donate, what I do need is a organisation “in situ” where I can drop the filters and where I can help. If you please know of any, could you let me know? Thanks a lot for your time.
Leonor – thank you for reaching out – and for your commitment to helping residents of the Philippines recover from Typhoon Haiyan! Let me research the answer to your question and connect back with you directly.
Thanks,
Mike