Update from ACTED ~ Grant 9175 Field Notes

Here's something we got today from one of the humanitarian/development agencies on the ground (ACTED). In case you didn't know, being live on the ground, we(GMU representing ADB/JFPR) often get to meet, greet, or bump into our brothers and sisters in the vast field of recovery efforts from Yolanda's aftermath. We get to exchange infos, views and many such things (SEERE's role anyway, right?)! So am quoting below the exact message for your reading pleasure!

Quote..."
Dear partner,

You will find below and in attachment our new monthly newsletter.

Your faithfully

Thibault Henry

ACTED News from the Philippines

June, 2015

Focus

Welcome to the first edition of ACTED’s monthly newsletter from the Philippines! The newsletter will share stories and updates about ACTED’s work in the country. This edition focuses on ACTED key achievements since the beginning of 2015.

Shelter Updates

ACTED supported by ShelterBox provided assistance to 300 families in Leyte to rebuild their shelters using ‘build back safer’ techniques. ACTED also distributed 180 shelter repair kits supported by IOM and ShelterBox to meet immediate shelter needs caused by Typhoon Ruby.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Updates

ACTED supported by UNICEF continues to promote improved health and hygiene status for 74 Haiyan-affected barangays in Eastern Samar through the implementation of the Philippines Approach to Total Sanitation (PhATS). By November 2015, the project aims to have supported 60,000 people to live in communities certified free of open defecation.

Key Achievements in 2015 so far

Houses Constructed	300
Carpenters trained by TESDA “Technical Education and Skills Development Authority”	30
Shelter Repair Kits distributed after Typhoon Ruby	180
Certified Zero Open Defecation Barangays	32 (13,066 people)
Barangays that have developed risk-informed sanitation and hygiene action plans	71
Demonstration toilets constructed	74
People who have hand washing facilities at home	59, 682

Project Launch

ü Towards Resilient Communities:

ACTED, in consortium with Alliance2015 members HELVETAS and People in Need, supported by Swiss Solidarity and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), have launched a two year project in 12 Haiyan-affected municipalities in Eastern Samar. The project adopts a Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach and will benefit 6,000 households to restore, diversify and improve their livelihoods by supporting farmers to have improved access to quality and affordable inputs and technologies; access to suitable financial products and services as well as enhanced financial literacy; and to have the capacity to establish market linkages and have increased competitiveness.

ü Supporting Shelter Needs:

ACTED supported by AFD as part of a two year project launched in April 2015 will contribute to the improvement of the resilience capacities and living conditions of vulnerable families affected by the increase and volatility of natural disasters. 250 families currently living in ‘unsafe areas’ in Guiuan will be supported with a new house in a safe relocation site coupled with income generation support. Local capacities for disaster management planning and humanitarian response in Guiuan will also be reinforced.