VFV volunteers delivered 33 water filtration systems to families in transitional shelters during a relief mission to Santo Niño.
Thanks to a partnership with Wine to Water — a non-profit aid organisation from the USA — families waiting to be relocated after losing their homes during Yolanda now have permanent access to clean drinking water.
VFV’s Assistant Community Coordinator Princess Marie Almanza said the water filtration systems will be life-changing for the 568 people living in the camp.
“These systems will save families from the cost of buying water and also from the dangers of boiling well water to make it clean,” said Princess.
“The national government supplied 30 water filters to this community but that is only one filter between two homes and they were given no demonstration on how to use them.”
VFV and Wine to Water stepped in to fill the gap and ensured that every family understood how to use and maintain the filters with a thorough demonstration given at VFV’s Santo Niño Community Centre.
VFV volunteers also handed out 60 hygiene kits including: toothbrushes, toothpaste, laundry detergent, soaps and shampoos.
The families were also given a ‘grow your own veg’ pack — an initiative of Daria Hammerschmidt, the volunteer behind Cangumbang’s community garden.
The seeds will allow the families some self-sufficiency during their long wait to be relocated to permanent homes.
The good work of VFV and Wine to Water continues with plans to install water tanks in remote areas like Cangumbang and further relief missions set for the coming weeks.
“There are five transitional camps in total,” said Princess.
“We are working together to get hygiene kits and safe drinking water to everyone in these communities.”
Click here to learn more about the game-changing work of Wine to Water!
*Written by volunteer Emma Bailie, journalist from Australia