CERV spearheads successful humanitarian fundraising project

CERV-Philippines launched a successful relief project to help an Indigenous People’s community in Central Luzon, Philippines.  How it started can be read here.

 The response was quick and positive.  CERV decided to increase its target to three sacks of grain and at least two water pumps.

Canadian law student and National Union of People’s Lawyers volunteer Emily Misola Richards was first to pitch in.

Former CERV volunteer and Meaningful Volunteer founder Malcolm Trevena proposed a CERV-MV hook-up on this project.  CERV readily agreed, making it the first joint humanitarian fundraising project ever.  MV took care of two-thirds of the amount needed initially.

 GVN Foundation kindly agreed to make an emergency release of the funds it keeps for CERV health and children’s welfare projects to help in the project.

 Former CERV volunteers Richard Kastenschmidt and Andrew Roquiz of the USA and Leighton Wood (Canada) came through with cash donations.

 The project then had more money than it initially needed.

 CERV then asked Wilfredo Marbella, deputy secretary general of the Peasant Movement of the Philippines, to look for the right kind of rice grains.  He delivered three sacks within three days.

 All that was needed at that point was to turn over the grains and the funds for the water pumps.  But, as mentioned in the first article, the area is militarized.  CERV waited for two weeks before it was able to make the delivery.  It needed the help of the KAMP, the Philippines’ biggest federation of Indigenous Peoples, who said that we should just surprise the military and arrive without announcing ourselves.

Following are some pictures of the actual handover.   Within three days of the handover, the first pump was already offering clean and potable water to the community.  (While CERV intends to go back to take pictures of the water pumps at work and the grains being planted, this has to be scrapped for now due to security reasons.)  The community is happy with the three sacks of grain as they were only expecting one.  They now await the next planting season even as they start clearing their traditional planting areas on mountainsides.

CERV director Raymund Villanueva also stumbled on a story while there.  Watch this video.

No swine flu cases in CERV placement areas; zero death in the Philippines

The Philippines now has nearly 200 cases of the global A(H1N1) swine influenza virus originally brought in by locals and foreigners who travelled from infected countries.  Thankfully, no death has yet been reported and the country’s health authorities say that all reported cases are of the very mild strain. Like with the avian flu virus, it is hoped that the Philippines would be spared from the worst of the pandemic.

 This is, of course, good news to incoming or prospective volunteers.

 CERV intends to help keep it that way.  As there is a growing concern that incoming volunteers, particularly those coming from swine flu-hit countries, might be infected, CERV is asking all of them to take flu vaccinations and boost their immunity systems by regularly taking multivitamins before flying over.

 This is the first time that CERV is asking this from future volunteers, and it is the only vaccination it recommends.  It also asks volunteers to always have bug-repelling lotions and sprays ready while in the country to protect themselves from insect-borne diseases.

 There has been no reported case of swine or avian flues in CERV’s placement areas of San Agustin, Romblon and Quezon City in Metro Manila.

“The things or events that happen in our life are not nearly as important as what we do with the time that is given to us.”

The following is an excerpt from CERV Volunteer Erik Johnson's blog.

First I wanted to let everyone know that each day I spend here is truly a blessing, and I am still (as I will always be) thankful to all those who helped me both financially and spiritually! Before I left my Mom told me “Not very many kids your age get a chance to do something like your doing. And if they do, it's usually only for a month or so!”

I had no idea that I would be doing something like this or going to a place like this. Not in a million years. I feel very honored and blessed to have had this opportunity. It may not have seemed like a smart decision to some of my friends or family members, and to be honest it wasn't a very smart decision, but it was the right one. I may not be financially stable and I may not have a complete education, but that doesn't change the fact that I've had an amazing experience. I know some people will say “It doesn't matter what your doing there, you need to think about your future.”.

I say “The things or events that happen in our life are not nearly as important as what we do with the time that is given to us.” God provided me with the perfect amount of time, with (almost) the perfect amount of money, and with the perfectly abundantly overflowing amount of prayer and support.

I do not doubt for one second that this trip was a mistake.

Okay, so for the last month and a half, I have been busy teaching computer class, painting signs, painting benches, and cleaning up the shoreline in front of the mangroves.

Computer Class:  Even though I never signed up for it, I really do enjoy teaching the kids about computers and how to use them. Yes computers can be bad when someone gets addicted to games or facebook, but they also have very useful applications, such as typing papers, creating documents, presentations, and as I know on a professional level (:)) they are great for expanding one's knowledge and joy they may get from producing, editing, and presenting Movies!

I'm finally having the kids complete a project for me, and go figure, for their first project I'm having them make me a movie/presentation. I recently took a week off to give the kids a break, and myself. During my “break” is when I tried coming up with a lesson plan. I have to give teachers credit, because I use to think being a teacher was one of the easiest jobs ever, but boy was I wrong.

Painting:   Just out in front of the building I teach in at Paaralang Elemntarya Ng Sugod (Sugod Elementary School) there are several benches. Paul and I both decided they could use some color, and now they are all finished. We painted a different flag on each of them, representing the different countries that the volunteers have come from, including; The U.S., The U.K., Norway, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Mangroves:  The Mangrove project is coming along very nicely. We have between 600 and 700 planted along the shore just north of Sugod, near a place called Baliw. The last few weeks though I haven't had any help, so planting has been put on hold for the time being, and when I do get a chance to visit, I mostly pick up garbage and clean the already planted mangroves. We still have several thousand to plant. Thankfully some of the community members have joined in to help us plant in other locations scattered along the whole bay.

In March, I am planning on reading up on proper techniques and teaching Mangrove Plantation and Care classes at the Elementary school in Sugod, and the High School and Elementary School in Long Beach. It is very important that the community knows exactly how to plant and watch over these trees, because without them they will lose more than just some pretty looking trees. Unfortunately the students do not currently have a class to teach them about how the trees contribute to their livelihood, or how to properly maintain a healthy mangrove sanctuary.

So that is what has been happening with the work side of my adventure. As for my off time there are several other stories to tell.

Read more on Erik’s blog.

It was a bit different this time.  After a great experience last time, the expectations were all high. However the law of averages always catches on with the group.  It was still quite good.  Raymund organized another great experience, some among us who saw it, grabbed it.  It was good for me and Laure who had all of Raymund's time.

The saplings that we nurtured last year, a few thousands of them were along the highway and for two days we supported some saplings where needed and watered them. The heat was the highest in Manila of the summer and we just landed from the cool of HK (and heard that part of HK island were at 5 degree centigrade while we were melting).  This time I confirmed it to my utter disbelief that I just cannot do hard work that I could a decade ago. So much for a comfortable lifestyle that is too disturbing for comfort of mind. Raymund took us away from the gruel for a day and we participated in the 100th year rally of Women's Day on 8th March and then a small trip of Old Manila city. It was a good detour!

However, my heart was completely at the tree nursery in Montalban, Rizal.  Raymund was kind enough to take us to do the usual work at the nursery for the next two days.  It was quite nostalgic to be back among the saplings. The hut looks all new and green, the nursery is full with saplings and looks quite green. The 'holes are fun' are still hold the supporting bamboos for the shade and I caught a beautiful spider with its net on my camera. And not to mention the wonderful tender coconuts. I had to open one for the nostalgia sake and to prove to myself that I can still do it. Makes me feel better! The hammock is shifted to a place in front of the hut and BTW I also bought one for me :-).

This time we had a trip to local market and it is a very interesting place. A good spot for many photographs. Lot of fruits and other things. It was fun.

Thanks to Pom and others who provided good food as usual. They tolerated us through our stay and rants. I had thought that I would shed some 'tyres' but it only inflated more. I cannot blame the heat though. I love to stay at this dorm. It is quite homely, always open and lot of space.

We also played cards but this time it was restricted to only two nights and never in the hall. People were too alert and the 'g-bows' or 'Hi Queen' never happened. Some even studied! :-(.

As usual Raymund does not stop inspiring and Laure is already planning next year's PW to Romblon for working with mangroves and painting classrooms and benches. That is the real success of going at 'CERV-Philippines' to Raymund.

What more can I ask from Raymund? He was helping me as usual.  This time in finding a place for the IFP conference in Manila. That may be the place for future conferences if not this year.

So, I'm now completely looking forward to go to Romblon next year. I can only wish that it was next week.

Donations to CERV Phillipines are more than welcome. Their immediate need is to buy a vehicle to carry water tanker.

Raymund is still buying lottery tickets so he can call you guys to paint his new house sometimes when he's lucky. We should do it as a group sometimes within the next 10 yrs! Hopefully it'll be earlier.
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Magan Savant is a Physics teacher at Li Po Chun-United Word College in Hongkong, SAR.  He has led two student volunteer groups since last year.

CERV ends 2009 successfully; has high hopes for 2010

TO ROUND UP the year, CERV-Philippines helped in the complete rehabilitation of Batibot Early Learning Center, a school completely submerged and destroyed during the Ondoy (Ketsana) calamity.

Volunteers Erik Johnson (USA) and Paul Olney (GB) worked hard in repainting the school’s educational blocks and help in the delivery of books, water purifier, electric fan and medicines.

 CERV also bought paints and painting supplies which the school’s parents used in repairing the destroyed structure.

 Batibot is located in the city of Marikina, one of the most devastated localities during Ondoy’s wrath. For more of the story go here.

 CERV also participated in delivering relief goods to 17 communities within Metro Manila and Northern Luzon, particularly in the cities of Quezon and Pasig, and the towns of San Mateo in Rizal Province, Guimba in Nueva Ecija and Bambang in Pangasinan.

 These relief operations were participated in by volunteers Yusuke Nakata (Japan) and  Shafaq Varghese (USA).

 Financial donations from the GVN Foundation of New Zealand and USA and former volunteers made these projects possible.  It also enabled CERV to implement repairs to the CERV offices and dormitory in Quezon City, which was damaged by the succession of destructive storms.  Part of the donation was also used to buy additional carpentry tools for CERV’s school building repair and maintenance program.

 Meanwhile, Global Volunteer Network  decided to continue its partnership with CERV—a decision that reversed its earlier plan to abrogate the partnership that was originally scheduled to end on August of 2010.

 “I am pleased to advise you that our management team have completed the review and are happy to continue with our partnership,” GVN founder and CEO Colin Salisbury said.

 GVN is the world’s biggest volunteering network with more than 11,500 volunteers deployed in six continents since 2002.

 The year 2009 proved to be another successful, albeit challenging, year for CERV.   There was a slight increase in the number of volunteers across all months of the year while CERV’s programs benefited from several improvements introduced through its collaboration with Meaningful Volunteer.

 CERV looks forward to the New Year with renewed hope, buoyed by recent successes in its response to the “Ketsana” and “Pempe” calamities.  Together with its current and future international volunteers it promises to help more Filipino communities and social service institutions in need of the world’s kindness.

Flood relief and rehabilitation projects go full-blast

CERV and its volunteers participated in relief missions to 17 flooded communities around Luzon Island after the twin devastations of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng that killed more than a thousand people and destroyed properties and livelihood worth billions of pesos.

 Volunteers Shafaq Varghese (Pakistan/USA) and Yusuke Nakata (Japan) helped distribute thousands of relief bags containing rice, other food items, medicine and used clothing to flooding victims.

 Former volunteers came through with immediate cash donations for the relief missions as well.  Magan Savant (with wife Nitu and daughter Urvi of India and Hong Kong), Richard Kastenschmidt (with wife Renee of the USA) sent cash donations immediately after learning of the devastations.

 The GVN Foundation immediately set up an emergency relief fund drive where several GVN/CERV volunteers also sent donations.  The fund raising drive is still ongoing through this link.

CERV has committed to the rehabilitation of the Batibot Early Learning Center, a community school that was completely flooded at the height of the storm.  It serves 50 schoolchildren in an urban poor community run by a local women’s organization.

The school rehabilitation project will be funded by donations through the GVN Foundation.  Paints, books, medicines and equipment shall be donated to the school and volunteers shall work repainting and rehabilitating the school.

Relief and rehabilitation efforts are ongoing as floodwaters still refuse to subside in some parts of Metro Manila.  Millions of families still have to recover from losing their rice and vegetable crops.

Meanwhile, repeat volunteer Alan Fry (Australia) donated a netbook to serve as temporary replacement to the desktop computer lost when the CERV dorm was flooded during Typhoon Ondoy.

The following have kindly donated to the relief and rehabilitation fund.  (Names preceded by an asterisk are former or current volunteers.)

Pamela M Hackett

*DCB Dunne

*Eliza M Raymond

Sheena Lad

Amanda R Walsh

Ariel K Turner

Cayce E Chalk

*Catherine Douglass

Jonathan H Lester

K C Austin

Ruthanne Gartland

*Erik S Johnson

Tsang M Man Heem

Mhairi McAlpine

Anna Ware

*Richard and Renee Kastenschmidt

Carol G Voorhees

Pamela Tan

*Peter H Smyth

Carol Thomas

Thomas Chisholm

Johanna Lindberg

Kozlowicz Dorota

NG Every

Jeff Doyle

*Marit Hovhaugholen

Christopher A DiMarco

S Travers

Traudel Arend

Jill S Castillo

Sujay Pathak

M Harding Lee Cranford

*Carolyn J German

Lisa Brooten

Kate Davies

Rochelle T Nieuwenhuis

SA Avison

*Sophie Hamada

Barry Helfanbein

Nicole Jame Jatarra

Apetrei Sebastian

James L Mundell

Alan Hastings

Claire Walker

Wendy Brissenden

Fatma Khan

*Rachel Allitt

*Magan, Nitu and Urvi Savant

A volunteer’s impression of the flood calamity in the Philippines

Following is Shafaq Varghese’s note of the effects of the floods that hit Metro Manila and nearby provinces.  Shafaq is a Pakistan-born American and is an IT consultant in Texas.

 Visiting the areas affected by the flooding was a heart-wrenching experience. The devastation was limitless. In one of the   hardest hit areas, numerous houses, which had originally been built alongside a major river, had been flattened and the homeless victims were scattered on the streets living in temporary spaces made up of plastic sheets tied together with thread.  Garbage, which was basically household items destroyed by the flooding, was piled up on every street corner and outside every house. It was obvious that anything these residents owned, in an already poverty-stricken area, had been washed away or spoiled by the flood.

In one street corner hundreds of people were standing in the sweltering heat, in lines that stretched around several blocks, to receive aid from their local community leadership.  I was skeptical on whether enough aid would be available for the hordes of people waiting.

The family we visited to provide aid to had lost everything they owned in the flood. Their house had been submerged in water and they had survived by taking shelter in their neighbor’s two-story house. Every single piece of clothing and furniture this family owned was covered with thick mud. They had no food, no drinking water or clean clothes. And even though they had started the cleaning process, it was obvious that in the absence of proper nourishment and basic amenities, it would be weeks or even months before they would be able to have a normal life again.

The same story was repeated in the hundreds of other houses that we passed by. From the families scavenging through their destroyed goods for items they could still make use of, to the one living inside a truck because they had lost everything, to the group of people holding a vigil on a bridge for a drowned child, everywhere I looked, the only thing  visible was utter destruction and  suffering.

In the three and a half hours that we surveyed the area, we saw just two aid operations in progress, one through a UN agency and the other through Red Cross. From the size of the trucks and the number of victims standing in line to receive aid, it was clear that the rations provided by these aid operations would be inadequate.  Worst still, there wasn’t a single medical program in progress to provide temporary medical care or check-ups to the victims. With millions of dollars worth of aid coming into the Philippines just for the sole purpose of providing food, water, shelter and medical care to the victims of the flooding, I wondered where the money was being spent if not in the area with the highest number of casualties.

Clearly, the government and other aid agencies need to take additional steps to reduce the suffering of the people affected by the flooding, most of whom are now living on the streets and are highly susceptible to diseases, mal-nutrition and probable death.  This includes, first and foremost, providing additional food, clean water and medical help, in order to prevent further fatalities and the spread of diseases. Rebuilding the houses and cleaning the streets of the loads of garbage scattered everywhere would be the next significant step.  These must then be followed by providing safer and more stable housing in the areas more prone to rain and flood damage, in order to prevent such widespread disaster and loss of life in the future.

CERV is asking everyone to repost and donate to this link.

For more pictures of the victims of the flooding, please look here.