On December 16th 2021 Typhoon Rai made landfall at the city of Surigao, in the north eastern tip of Mindanao in the Philippines. The typhoon brought 195km per hour winds, torrential rainfall and caused widespread flooding and devastation.
Sadly, 402 people lost their lives, 1,147 people were injured and 78 people are still missing. Once again, children and families are finding themselves facing crisis.
Many children across the island nation were looking forward to a normal Christmas, with COVID-19 cases subsiding and travel restrictions being lifted. But instead of spending the holidays with loved ones, many children and their families were forced to flee their homes due to flooding and are still living in evacuation centres.
Mary Ann and her family are just one family left homeless by Typhoon Rai. “My husband, three kids and I had already evacuated and went came here to the school even before Typhoon Rai came. After the storm passed, I went to check our house, but it was no longer there. Until now I don’t know where we will go,” said Mary Ann.
Significant portions of the region still do not have access to power or clean water. To date, there are still just over 50,000 families living in evacuation centres with little certainty about when they will be able to return home and begin to rebuild their lives.
ChildFund Philippines is helping to distribute emergency food rations, setting up emergency housing for families and access to clean water and power. They are also identifying how best to support children who experienced trauma because of Typhoon Rai – particularly for those still living in evacuation centres.
Working with local partners and authorities in ten communities struck, ChildFund is committed to ensuring that children have access to counselling services, education, and child-friendly spaces while they are living in evacuation centres. ChildFund Australia has contributed AUD$75,000, of a total amount of AUD$300,000, directly to the emergency response efforts.
These spaces give the children the opportunity to play and learn to help build their resilience and well-being in a safe environment. The child-friendly spaces run psychological first aid sessions to help children process their experiences and trauma through interactive activities like sharing, drawing, role playing to help them express themselves as they rebuild their lives after the disaster.
Children are resilient, but with climate change causing more frequent and more intense typhoons, it is vital that they are supported during, not just the response, but that they are adequately prepared for events like Typhoon Rai. You can support children around the world facing crisis.
After a tough year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a gym in Victoria is giving back to children and their families in Zambia in the lead up to Christmas.
Despite facing challenges from the ongoing lockdowns, members of Be Strong Fitness Geelong have come together to raise money for a school in Zambia.
The primary school, a run-down concrete classroom in a remote community east of the capital, Lusaka, is close to Be Strong Fitness Geelong co-director Joanne’s heart.
For two years the mother-of-four has been sponsoring, through ChildFund Australia, seven-year-old Flavian, who attends the school.
Through Facebook and emails, Joanne asked gym members to contribute to a group donation. Together, Be Strong Fitness Geelong members raised $550, which will be used to repair and upgrade Flavian’s primary school as well as provide students and teachers with blackboards.
Joanne says the decision to reach out to members and organise a community fundraiser for Flavian and his community was easy. It was a simple way to make a difference in the lives of many children.
“Be Strong Fitness Geelong is a strong family-valued community,” she says. “Flavian and his community have become part of our family community here, and being able to contribute to Flavian and his community is a very rewarding feeling.”
“I was so proud of every member of our gym for the contribution they were able to put forward, especially with the current climate affecting a lot of people financially,” Joanne says.
The funds raised by Be Strong Fitness Geelong, in Victoria, will be used to upgrade seven-year-old Flavian’s primary school in Zambia.
The Be Strong Fitness Geelong community has long supported children’s charities and causes in Australia and overseas, says Joanne. “We do a few pop-up fundraisers though the fitness industry and help out where we can with local families or community events.
“We have stayed away from the more traditional style gyms and have targeted inclusion and family groups. We reach out to kids and teens to give them a safe, healthy and inviting place to hang out with friends.”
Joanne’s right-hand and the gym’s community fundraiser co-ordinator, Katherine, says she was surprised to see images of Flavian’s school.
“It looked quite run-down,” Katherine says. “It just shows how lucky we are to have what we have here, and made me feel good that we could support Flavian and his community.
“Fundraising has always been a big part of the Be Strong community. We’ve had fundraisers for different charities. I think it’s important. We try to be a very community-based gym and give back and do lots of things locally.
“We’re very lucky, especially this time of the year.”
The Be Strong Fitness gym community. Gym co-director Joanne says: “Everyone working for one cause to help bring some joy to another person and their community builds camaraderie.”
With the success of the recent online fundraiser, Be Strong Fitness Geelong are hoping to run more fundraising events in the new year. Some ideas on the table include movie and raffle nights.
“I am hoping with less restrictions, we can run an event to help raise funds and make it a little more interactive,” Joanne says.
“Our gym works hard to support everyone in their goals and in life. Everyone working for one cause to help bring some joy to another person and their community builds camaraderie.
“Seeing how the funds can help Flavian’s community has been very overwhelming. Our members are very proud to have the opportunity to help.”
