Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines

People in Switzerland donated CHF 42,384,596 for the victims of the 2013 typhoon. Here we show you how we use your donations to help the victims.

Status : Ongoing
Emergency relief
Reconstruction
Consolidation phase
18.11.2013
Funds received CHF 42,384,596

Death and destruction in the Philippines

On 8th November 2013 Typhoon Haiyan swept over the Philippines, leaving total destruction in its wake.

The islands of Leyte and Samar were particularly hard hit. Tacloban, Leyte’s provincial capital, was also laid waste, and many people in the city died.

On 18th November 2013 we ran a national fundraising day for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan. The solidarity shown with the victims of the typhoon was overwhelming: we received a total of 42,384,596 francs in donations.

A Philippine girl sits in the ruins of her home in the city of Tacloban, destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan.

Your donation makes a difference. Thanks to your solidarity, the victims of Typhoon Haiyan are not only given a new roof over their heads, they are also able to work again and care for themselves.

Victims of Typhoon Haiyan receive sacks of rice from our partner relief organization HEKS.

Emergency relief

In the first weeks and months following the natural disaster, 42,000 families received food, household items and construction materials to rebuild their damaged houses.

Our partner relief organizations rapidly reconstructed simple houses and reestablished the water supply.

A Philippine family in front of their reconstructed home.

Reconstruction

Once our partner relief organizations had received authorization from the government to begin reconstruction work, they could begin building more durable houses.

They rebuilt 6,900 houses in total and repaired a further 4,900. Thanks to the advice and support received from the local people, buildings could be made more structurally sound in many places. These houses will be better able to withstand future storms and earthquakes.

In addition to these private homes, eight schools for 4,300 schoolchildren are currently being repaired or reconstructed.

The Philippines are frequently struck by heavy storms. We are therefore also funding the construction of three evacuation centres in which the local people can seek shelter during a typhoon.

A Philippine farmer plants rice.

New sources of income

Typhoon Haiyan did not only wreck many houses, it also destroyed many people’s means of making a living.

The coconut plantations that were many farmers’ main source of income were totally destroyed. It takes several years for these plantations to regenerate and again provide a livelihood.

So we helped 30,000 families to find an alternative means of making a living. For example, farmers now grow crops that can soon be harvested: vegetables, cocoa and other plants.

So our aid efforts on the Philippines are coming to a close. The remaining CHF 2.5 million in donations will be used to fund a project to secure sources of income, and to extend or adapt existing programmes.

“It is vital that people can earn their own living again as soon as possible. But unfortunately they do not have insurance to fall back on. This is where our projects are needed.”
Caroline Schlaufer, Economics Expert for Swiss Solidarity's project committee

News

How your donation helps

Our partner NGOs help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan with projects tailored precisely to their needs:

  • They distribute food, household items and construction materials so that people can temporarily repair their damaged houses
  • They help the victims to rebuild their houses to be resistant to earthquakes and typhoons
  • They rebuild public buildings such as schools, which may also serve as evacuation centres
  • They support people who have lost their means of making a living to get back to work and earn money.

A Philippine family look out of the window of their newly built home.

Funds received:

CHF 42,384,596

  • National fundraising day:

    18.11.13

  • Projects financed:

    31

  • Number of people helped:

    389'685

Our partner organizations operating locally

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If you have any questions or would like to know more about our Foundation, please contact us. We will be happy to answer you.