Emergency Relief for Super Typhoon Haiyan Victims

When Typhoon Haiyan tore through the Philippines, it caused widespread and severe water and sanitation infrastructure damage. Such destruction threatened the health of affected communities and put children, in particular, at risk for contracting communicable diseases. As a result, International Medical Corps has prioritized water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions since the typhoon hit in 2013. Teams ensured increased access to clean water and improved sanitation facilities, while building awareness about practices for safe hygiene.

International Medical Corps has provided WASH services throughout the typhoon-affected areas of Leyte province. To date, teams have built latrines to support 12,071 households, rehabilitated handwashing stations in 57 schools, and provided urgently needed hygiene kits, including soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste in 18 daycare centers. As many poor hygiene practices were in place before the typhoon, International Medical Corps prioritized behavior change to instill sustainable healthy WASH habits in both the local communities and their schools, while promoting positive celebrations like Global Handwashing Day to motivate and mobilize individuals to improve their handwashing habits.

Throughout its response, International Medical Corps trained more than 440 teachers and students to be hygiene champions who continue teaching topics like safe food preparation, recycling and garbage disposal, proper tooth-brushing and handwashing practices, and hygiene while using latrines. The students received soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste and participate in special clubs focusing on continuing proper WASH practices organized in their schools.

Kate is a Hygiene Champion at MacArthur National High School. Before the high school received its new handwashing station, complete with a dozen faucets and new tiles, many students frequently fell ill from the poor hygiene practices and had low school attendance as a result. Now, student absences due to illness have dropped thanks to the new handwashing station and hygiene promotion activities, which have helped prevent the spread of infectious diseases among students. “Before, we had no handwashing station and we could not ensure sanitation for ourselves,” Kate recalls.

Due to the generous support from GlobalGiving and other donors enabling International Medical Corps’ response, to date, 75 barangays, or villages, in the Philippines have achieved zero open defecation. This designation means that individuals in these areas no longer defecate outside a toilet or latrine—critically helping reduce the prevalence of water-borne diseases and improving the overall health of men, women and children for the long-term.