Abu Dhabi residents are gathering together yet again to support victims of Typhoon Haiyan seven months after devastation first hit the Philippines.
Our Village, a not-for-profit charity organisation, recently hosted their first annual charity golf tournament at Abu Dhabi City Golf Club. Over 150 people attended the event and raised over AED 20,000 for survivors of the deadly natural disaster.
The money will be used to support a new microlending project in Tacloban City, one of the hardest hit areas in the Philippines.
By providing interest-free loans to both women and men whose businesses were destroyed by the typhoon, the charity is keen on providing victims with sustainable support.
“Often, following a crisis, the international community pulls together and provides donations to meet the immediate needs of the people who have lost their homes, their possessions, their businesses, and often their loved ones,” said Laura Deitz, director Our Village – Abu Dhabi.
“However, the real challenge is often six months down the road, where the immediate relief assistance is no longer required but there is not support and the infrastructure required to rebuild the communities, schools, and businesses. This can mean that people who were once financially independent and able to provide for their families are wrestling with extreme poverty with minimal support.”
According to the UN Refugee Agency, the deadly typhoon has forcibly displaced four million Filipinos. With many survivors still living in temporary structures, the rebuilding process is at its most vital.
“Our overall goal as a charity is to empower people to take the lead in their own recovery and development so that our support makes a sustainable, long term impact in their lives,” adds Deitz.
For more information visit: www.ourvillage.org
