During the first week of September 2017, a series of distribution activities were held in Bato (Camarines Sur) and Libon (Albay) as part of the Education Assistance for Children and Rehabilitation of Livelihood Project or Project EARLi. Two hundred farming families who were worst-hit by Typhoon Nina in December 2016 finally have their farming tools, materials, and implements replaced or upgraded.
Most children in Bicol are sons and daughters of farmers. Some of them recall waters reaching them chest-deep during Super Typhoon Nina before their families decided to evacuate because they had little to no knowledge about climate change and disaster preparedness.
This can be seen as the reason why only about 50% of them evacuated and fully prepared amidst government warnings for Typhoon Nina, which eventually led not only to major damages in their homes and livelihood but also hindered their recovery after the storm. They had to rely solely on relief for food, take in debt, and be unable to support their children going back to school. Even when children resumed schooling, after losing learning days from the typhoon, rooms would be unsafe and there would be no teaching and learning materials either.
With children as the most vulnerable members of society, Fundación Educación y Cooperación – EDUCO and ChildFund Korea (CFK) with the support of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) quickly responded to STY Nina and launched Project EARLi. The project aims to restore access to education through repairs and material support as well as establishing child-centered DRRM mechanisms in schools and communities so that children’s right to quality education is protected and fulfilled, before, during, and after disasters.
Farmers in Bato, Camarines Sur during Project EARLi distribution activity held 7 September 2017.
Farmers in Libon, Albay during Project EARLi distribution activity held 5 September 2017.
Over 9000 children, 5oo teachers, 700 families, and 490 local government units are expected to benefit from the project when it completes its activities by December 2017. Project EARLi have so far distributed 9000 sets of educational and instructional materials as well as provided livelihood technical and material assistance. It is almost done with rehabilitating 16 classrooms and establishing 6 temporary learning spaces, many of which are already being used. More capacity building on child-centered disaster risk reduction and management and the establishment of Early Warning Systems are also underway.
