In November 2013, typhoon Haiyan devastated vast portions of Southeast Asia, especially the Philippines. Thousands of lives were lost and thousands of homes destroyed.

In the aftermath of the storm, The Salvation Army provided immediate relief assistance, particularly in Tacloban, the devastated capital of Leyte Province. With support from the international Salvation Army, including the Canada and Bermuda Territory, local Army personnel sprang into action to distribute life-saving food, water and non-food items. In the months following the storm, more than a quarter of a million meals were served, 4,000 people received medical care and 3,000 families received roofing materials.

The Canada and Bermuda Territory has also lent support to a vegetable seed project, enabling 5,000 families to restart farming with tools and seeds.

Over the next few years, the Army will continue the recovery and community development initiatives in support of the affected people as they rebuild their homes and lives. A livelihood program will provide skills and support for locally appropriate vocations, including food processing, house wiring, plumbing, carpentry and dress making, to assist people with sustainable income-earning opportunities.

“We are grateful to the people of the Canada and Bermuda Territory for their combined donations of more than $600,000 to support the emergency response and redevelopment initiatives of The Salvation Army in the Philippines,” says Major Gillian Brown, director of world missions for the Canada and Bermuda Territory. “The Filipino people have rebounded in amazing ways, but the recovery effort is far from over.”