Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI) is urging the public not to forget the victims of the Philippines disaster this Christmas and to continue to pledge their support to the relief effort.
Our 51,000 members across the UK and Ireland have already raised around £2.5m in the six weeks since Super Typhoon Haiyan ravaged the country. The money raised has been allocated to the worst affected areas to provide emergency aid including clean drinking water, tents, clothes, blankets and cooking utensils.
Rotary has flown out thousands of LifeStraws – a water filter which removes 99.9% of waterborne bacteria and parasites – along with hundreds of ShelterBoxes and AquaBoxes containing survival equipment to help communities get through the coming months.
“The boxes and LifeStraws will provide essential items for people in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, but it is important to remember that the long term effects will continue, long after the news coverage disappears from our TV screens,” said Nan McCreadie, President of RIBI.
To keep the relief effort going, Rotarians are mobilising to raise further funds, make donations and help in any way they can. A special disaster fund has also been set up to provide sustainable solutions for the country’s recovery in the long term. The fund will be used by Rotarians, working alongside Rotary clubs in the Philippines, to help rebuild schools, hospitals, roads and other essential parts of the country’s infrastructure.
To donate to Rotary’s disaster fund, please contact your local Rotary club or send a cheque to: RIBI Donations Trust, Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, Kinwarton Road, Alcester, B49 6PB. Please make cheques payable to RIBI Donations Trust and mark your envelope ‘Philippines Appeal.’
