(ANS - Cebu)- The Salesians continue to offer practical help to the stricken Filipino population: the NGO Don Bosco Mondo and the Mission Office in Bonn have developed a project that will benefit 2,600 families, for a total of about 11,800 people.

In the first phase, at Candahug, a village on the island of Leyte, they will help to rebuild homes for 360 families, as well as a school, a community centre, and a chapel – all completely destroyed during the typhoon.  Later they will help to repair damaged houses for 2,000 families in the provinces of Eastern Samar, Aklan and Northern Cebu.

This project is intended to help families who were very poor even before the natural disaster. Their homes were destroyed or severely damaged because they were poorly constructed in the first place and could not withstand the typhoon.

Referring to the Hyogo Plan and the United NationsInternational Strategy for Disaster Reduction which is the frame of reference worldwide for disaster risk management, the Salesians have developed the idea of reconstructing a village. The plan is called ARC (Adopt and Rebuild a Community) and it aims at rebuilding a sustainable infrastructure, working in partnership with the people of the affected regions.

At Candahug the Salesians and the Don Bosco World personnel are committed to purchasing the materials for construction and for financing the transport, while the people of the village will be responsible for providing trained technical supervisors.

The houses are small, approximately 25 square metres in area, with adjoining bathroom. The living area is made with a mixture of local natural materials and concrete. The bathroom is constructed entirely in concrete so that it can be used as a refuge in case of other disasters in the future. There is a solid roof to protect against heavy rains.

In the provinces of Eastern Samar, Aklan and Northern Cebu, the families will be involved in the work of repairing their homes. There will also be a paved surface to ensure adequate protection in the event of storms.

In addition to the two phases of action for the reconstruction or repair of housing, there is also a third phase for the repair of ten elementary schools in the four areas in which the project is involved, so as to resume the children’s education and to support them in coping with their traumatic experiences.
Work will begin in January 2014 and will be completed within the year.
 

Published on 16/12/2013