Aid to Refugees of Storms, Floods, and Violence

Dear Friends,

During 2023, Asia America Initiative and local partners have been bringing relief to remote communities that have been pummeled repeatedly by massive storms, flooding, drought and earthquakes. Local craftsmen are willing to use their skills to rebuild, but they are often abandoned by government at all levels.  Donations from private sources such as our relationship with GlobalGiving and private online members have made a heartwarming and effective differences.  Most importantly, We are restoring faith that people do care about each other in this troubled world.  Thus far, more than 72,000 people of all ages have received direct support, and more than 500,000 have had their lives improved.

AAI President, Albert Santoli says, "I never cease to be amazed by the kindness of strangers who see a desperate human need and try to fill it with hope and generosity. Most of our donors are from the United States where money does not "grow on trees" and we also face a challenging future.  This Thanksgiving holiday, AAI sends a heartfelt Thank You to our expanding team everywhere."

Throughout 2023, Asia America Initiative, our One World Institute partners and our local volunteers have been travelling continuously throughout the three main regions of the Philippines to conduct relief in areas hit hard by flooding during the past10 years. We are providing needed housing materials and reconstructing schools through the expertise and labor of local craftsmen and their families.  In remote lowland and highland areas, we provide supplies, food, and clean water.  And to prevent diseases, we have been helping these communities rebuild clinics, dig wells, and to build toilets to prevent the spread of illnesses.

The United Nations has named the Philippines as the most hard hit country by natural disasers.  Every year, thousands of families in the Philippines are displaced by volcanoes, typhoons, fires, and floods. Rather than seek to attract hundreds of thousands of victims into makeshift villages with unstable government funding, we encourage families stay in their hometowns and rebuild with their own skills and joyful labor.  "It is the support of kind outsiders like GlobalGiving that has instilled hope and funded enterprise into communities who would have despaired," Santoli says.

If you would like to add to your support, please click on the link below. We are accepting donations to send tons of supplies to AAI-supported communities in the weeks to come.

Thank you for helping families who have become refugees and can now find their way home. Wishing you all Happy Holidays.

Aid to Refugees of Taal Volcano, Floods, COVID-19

Thank you,

Albert Santoli

Director Asia America Initiative

Links:

• Asia America Initiative website

Dear Friends,

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts around the world, in urban communities and underserved villages in remote mountains or jungles have been devastated physically and psychologically.  In the Philippines, Asia America Initiative, along with local partners and hundreds of local volunteers – whether members of Christian, Muslim or mountain tribes -- are standing together to overcome a difficult educational environment.

In 2023, although the pandemic has subsided, we now face intensifying "Ring of Fire" volcanoes, earthquakes and  changing weather patterns of El Nino. In addition to rebuilding ramshackle schools, we are bringing food, water, hygiene materials, and health-hygiene supplies to villages damaged by typhoons and other natural disasters.

We are providing life-saving aid to thousands of families displaced by volcanoes, typhoons, fires, and floods. AAI and our partners are providing emergency food, water, tarp shelters, blankets, hygiene, face masks, and basic health care items for displaced families and isolated elderly individuals.  At this time, we are building up our supply chain to provide support for an additional 20,000 people in the Davao area of Mindanao region and the Cordilleras Mountainous region of northern Luzon. Thus far, in 2023, we have delivered more than 15 tons of food and medical supplies and thousands of gallons of clean water.

"Bayanihan" is a Filipino term meaning to extend a helping hand to one's neighbors. "Our volunteers come from all walks of life. We are blessed to be able to work together and help so many people." says Dr. Yolanda who leads the coordinated efforts by brave and dedicated men and women who enthusiasticly dedicate their time and energy.

In the Davao region of Mindanao, a local mayor observed, "It is unbelievable that volunteers would devote time away from their own families to help our communities. Many have lost everything in storms and floods, but we know we are not forgotten."

We are assisting tribes such as the Mangyans in Mindoro and Manobo people in central Mindanao.  We are also assisting the Igorot indigenous people in the Ilocos area of Luzon. In remote Kalinga Province in the northern Cordilleras Mountain region, our volunteers and Igorot native people use rope pulleys and wooden pallets to transport tons of health and school supplies across mountain ravines, thousands of feet deep. "It is as if we are visited by angels,” says a Kalinga tribal elder. "We could not imagine that outsiders could locate our village.”

Our courageous and unselfish volunteers have the will and dedication to not only feed and heal the injured but repair broken-down schools. Our unsung heroes are GlobalGiving donors who make these missions possible through your generous donations. 

If you would like to add to your support, please click on the link below. We are accepting donations to send tons of supplies to AAI-supported communities in the weeks to come.

Thank you for helping families who have become refugees.

Aid to Refugees of Taal Volcano, Floods, COVID-19

Thank you,

Albert Santoli

Director Asia America Initiative

Links:

• organization website