Mondel?z International rebuilds homes, lives after Yolanda

MANILA, Philippines - Nenita and Nicolas Bardalo of Leyte, and Veronica Jaingue of Samar. They are just a few of the names and lives that the fury of typhoon Yolanda disrupted.

More than a year since, much has been said and done to wipe away the nightmare  the tempest has caused. In fact, there is a danger of it being soon forgotten.

Thankfully, even when headlines fade, the strength and resilience that has grown in people, communities, and regions affected by the typhoon remain.

This strength is one that Mondel?z International has worked to rebuild – the strength to keep living, to keep feeling joy. “We believe that strength comes from being able to stand on your own after a fall. It is what helps you to keep facing challenges and create joy in your life despite them,” relates Maria Cindy Lim, head of corporate and government affairs of Mondel?z International in the Philippines.  

Formerly named Kraft Foods, the company that aims to create delicious moments of joy started their efforts to build back the strength of those affected by the tragedy by adopting one public elementary school in Tacloban, Leyte for its three-year “Joy Schools” program.

By providing a nine-month feeding program, teacher training, and facilities improvement, the adopted school aims to not only return to normal but to be better – become a model school, in fact.

Similarly, by supporting the global poverty-fighting organization CARE, homes and lives were made stronger with Mondel?z International’s help.

CARE works in 87 countries to support nearly 1,000 poverty-fighting humanitarian-aid projects. In the one year after Yolanda, CARE, with the support of Mondel?z International, has helped 27,000 households become stronger through livelihood grants and by helping create sturdier homes for their families.

After all, a stronger house means a stronger home.

Nenita and Nicolas Bardalo of Maricum in Leyte received training and financial support from CARE to rebuild their home. Now, they are proud to show their rebuilt home with stronger walls and roofing. Nicolas was one of the community carpenters trained to “build back safer” and help others do the same. The couple also received cash assistance to complete their home repair.

Stronger women make strong families, too. Veronica Jaingue of Basey, Samar. had always been self-sufficient, earning a living from her store and cooking vegetables to sell to neighbors. But the typhoon put a stop to her independence, and she went through months without any source of income.

A livelihood grant from CARE changed all that. Through the grant, Veronica was able to restart her store and gain the courage to start a new business. She has since begun successfully selling homemade ginger tea and pickles, getting big orders for weddings or events in her town. Now, her dream is to see her products on the shelves of a big mall.

“I was happy when I started earning again, I even bought sandals for myself,” shared the 79-year old widow and mother of two. “It was so rewarding to be able to afford that for myself.”

“These stories are what inspire us to keep creating joy for our community,” adds Lim. “Hopefully, the people who have regained their strength will continue to inspire others so that more and more people can stand strong and create joy for themselves.”