Yolanda rehab projects get Canadian funding

MANILA, Philippines - Seven proposals from across the Philippines received financial grants under the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), the competitive program run by the Canadian embassy.

“For this year, projects that directly align with Canada’s response to relief and rehabilitation for communities affected by Typhoon Yolanda were strongly considered,” Canadian Ambassador Neil Reeder said. “We are very pleased to be able to work with the successful applicants to enhance ongoing efforts in rebuilding communities in many parts of the country.”

The following are this year’s recipients of the CFLI:

Akap sa Bata ng mga Guro-Kalinga Philippines will provide psycho-social counseling, intervention sessions and supplemental feeding to 1,250 children in five barangays in Roxas City, Capiz affected by Yolanda. The project will also distribute 1,250 food packs/relief goods to families of these children. The project also targets the creation of committees where children’s welfare and rights issues will be addressed in the communities.

Capiz NGO/PO Network for Enterprise Development (CapizNED)’s proposed project Pagbuliganay Sa Pagtindog Liwa’t (Together, We Rise) will give 200 fisherfolk families in Barangay IX, Roxas City food and roofing repair materials and other construction supplies. Actual repair of the houses will be done by the beneficiary-families with the assistance of the organization’s scholars who are former out-of-school youth.

Process Panay Inc. will provide construction materials to rebuild or repair at least 100 totally damaged houses of fisherfolk and farmer households in nine barangays in the municipalities of Tibiao and Culasi in Antique. The project will also distribute 50 sets of planting materials to rehabilitate 20 hectares of upland and lowland farms.

Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment Inc. will reduce hunger in 400 families in Homonhon Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar by assisting them in livelihood and community recovery. Motorized boats will be constructed, and vegetable and rice seeds will be distributed.

Balay Rehabilitation Center will contribute in providing life-saving assistance to six communities in Ormoc City and Merida, Leyte, including 3,000 to 4,000 children in distress and 1,500 households. It will provide food and shelter assistance, play and art therapy for children, stress debriefing, and educational and nutritional support.

EngendeRights will train elementary and high school public school teachers and guidance counsellors in identifying gender-based violence and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity committed against children, adolescents, young women and young LGBTs and how to properly address such incidents.

Alternative Law Groups’ pro-ject will enhance the relationship between local communities, especially the marginalized sectors, and their newly-elected local officials by improving their capacity to develop and implement innovative solutions to problems in the areas of human rights protection, resources management, gender equality and environmental protection, using available local processes and institutions.

A second batch of approved projects will be announced in the coming weeks.

Canada Fund is a competitive small grants program that provides direct funding assistance to community groups, non-government organizations, people’s organizations and, in exceptional cases, international NGOs, and government institutions for small development projects addressing governance, economic, and other social development issues.

These grants are in addition to the early disaster relief contribution already provided by the Canadian government, including a Cad$20 million in humanitarian assistance package and the deployment of more than 300 personnel of the Canadian Forces’ Disaster Assistance Response Team in Panay Island.