Hatching Brighter Futures on the Island of Leyte

Communities in the Philippines are no strangers to disaster. Living in one of the most hazard-prone countries in the world means that earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons, and other emergencies are a constant threat. When disasters strike in the Philippines, Red Cross teams deliver humanitarian aid—but don’t stop there. Instead, the Red Cross helps families and neighborhoods rebuild healthier, safer, and better prepared for future disasters and crises.

On the island of Leyte, the Red Cross is helping entrepreneurs like Adelina to rebuild and grow their businesses. After losing her farm to a powerful typhoon, Adelina received seed money to restart her duck and pig farm. She uses the income earned from her farm for food and school expenses. Adelina has reinvested some of the earnings to grow her business, which has doubled in the past few years. Income helps families be more resilient in the face of crises—and more confident, too. They have more time to focus on disaster preparedness. They reinvest in their communities. And they’re better-equipped to help their neighbors.

American Red Cross work in the Philippines

When Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines in November 2013, it claimed more than 6,000 lives in the island nation and damaged homes, bridges, schools, agricultural land, and businesses in its wake.

The American public donated generously to provide emergency aid to families affected by the storm, which enabled the global Red Cross Red Crescent network to provide aid such as food, blankets, emergency shelter materials, hygiene items, cash grants, and mosquito nets.

Thanks to the donations we received in the storm’s aftermath, the American Red Cross has been able to help survivors far past the emergency phase—to ensure that they are recovering from the crisis and building back safer, healthier, and better prepared for future disasters. This includes constructing water systems and community centers, gifting seed money to entrepreneurs, providing funds to help more than 14,000 families reconstruct or repair their homes, and much more. See info at redcross.org/Haiyan.

A rich history—and future!

The American Red Cross has a long and rich history of working with the Philippine Red Cross. In fact, the Philippine Red Cross was a chapter of the American Red Cross from 1905 until the country’s independence in 1946. When it became an independent Red Cross national society in 1947, we supported the young organization—turning over all Red Cross assets in the Philippines, sending technical advisors and providing funding to help it become firmly established. Since then, the American Red Cross has remained a loyal advocate and partner, sending financial and material resources, technical assistance and/or facilitating exchange visits on a regular basis. Even outside of Typhoon Haiyan recovery, the Philippines continues to be a focus of American Red Cross support.

Video information

Written by: Jenelle Eli

Directed by: Brad Zerivitz

Original music composed by Jonathan Galland http://www.jonathan-galland.com