February 2014 –- On November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) made landfall in the Philippines, a densely populated country of 92 million people. The category five typhoon killed over 6,000 Filipinos, caused 4 million people to be displaced from their homes, and caused severe damage to infrastructure, including homes, roads, schools and health centres. Although many people have already received life-saving humanitarian assistance, significant humanitarian needs remain, including early recovery activities that contribute to building communities that are more resilient. With DFATD’s support, Action Against Hunger (ACF) is helping up to 20,000 people affected by Typhoon Haiyan in Leyte province by providing clean drinking water and sanitation and hygiene services. Project activities include: (1) restoring piped and non-piped water systems at the household and community levels to ensure that 10,000 families and 6,000 school children have access to safe drinking water; (2) providing sanitation kits to ensure that people have access to safe water and safe waste disposal; (3) rehabilitating latrines for 6,000 families and 6,000 school children; and (4) distributing hygiene kits, including essential items such as soap and toothbrushes, and promoting the importance of proper hygiene to 20,000 families and 6,000 school children.
