Habitat for Humanity distributes shelter repair kits to families affected by Typhoon Haiyan

Top and middle: Families collect lumber and plywood, some of the materials included in a shelter repair kit, on Saturday 23 November in Daanbantayan. Bottom: Dexter Artuto repairs his family home using materials from Habitat’s shelter repair kit. Dexter also received his kit in Guiuan on Saturday 23 November. Photography by Mikel Flamm.

Daanbantayan, Philippines, 26 November 2013 – Habitat for Humanity distributed shelter repair kits over the weekend to 240 families affected by Typhoon Haiyan in Daanbantayan, the northernmost municipality on the island of Cebu in the Philippines. The kits contain plywood, lumber, galvanized iron sheets, a hammer, a saw and nails. In addition to distributing the kits, Habitat provides training on safe building practices.

“Often after a disaster, families spend as much as six months living in tents or barracks,” said Leonilo Escalada, Habitat for Humanity Philippines chief operating officer. “The shelter repair kits will put recipients in the fast lane toward recovery because we provide them with the materials and the tools to improve their housing situation. And we’re showing them how to build back better, so we’re also giving them hope.”

The shelter repair kits are the first of their kind to be distributed in the province.

“Habitat is the first to do this,” said Cecille Du of the Philippine government’s department of social welfare and development. Du accompanied Habitat staff to Daanbantayan for distribution-related orientation. “This is a big help for people.”

Also on Saturday, Habitat distributed 250 shelter repair kits in Guiuan, where Typhoon Haiyan first made landfall. Saturday’s distribution was part of a multi-day effort to deliver 1,000 kits to the devastated community.

Typhoon Haiyan damaged or destroyed more than a million homes in the Philippines. Habitat Philippines has already distributed 5,000 emergency shelter kits and plans to distribute 30,000 shelter repair kits and 50,000 cleanup kits. Based on funding availability, the longer-term response will follow Habitat’s model of assisting affected communities with housing solutions ranging from transitional shelter interventions to permanent home reconstruction.

Donations can be made at http://www.give2habitat.org/philippines/ReBuildPhilippines.

Since 1988, Habitat for Humanity Philippines has played an active role in working with families to build decent, durable and affordable housing. Through a network of project offices in rural and urban areas, Habitat for Humanity Philippines has built and repaired tens of thousands of homes. Habitat has also assisted more than 5,000 families displaced by typhoons, fires and landslides.