1

Global Citizenship brief

Philippines:Building

Back BetterOne year after

Typhoon Haiyan, the Philippines is

learning from the past in order to prepare for

the future.

Diplomat eDition

Fall

201

4

2

I t wasn’t surprising that a typhoon hit the Philippines on November 8, 2013. After all, this country in Southeast Asia

is located in the prime spot for tropical storms. In fact, it gets hit by several typhoons each year. What was surprising was that the typhoon on November 8 turned out to be the strongest, the most destructive, and the deadliest storm to ever hit the Philippine Islands!

Super Typhoon Haiyan (known in the Philippines as Yolanda) traveled across the center of the country (see map on page 3). It destroyed buildings, tore up roads, and uprooted trees in its path. Over 6,000 people died and more than four million people lost their homes. Many of the people affected were children.

Thankfully, the Philippine government and groups such as UNICEF responded right away. They worked together to provide children with life-saving help. In the first weeks after the typhoon,

survivors received food, clean water, health care, and hygiene kits filled with things such as soap and toothbrushes. A few months later, children began going to school again, some in big tents that replaced wrecked buildings.

A year after the storm, a lot of children are still living and studying in tents and other temporary shelters. Many families are still struggling to find ways to earn money. Fortunately, the country is working hard to build back better. That’s smart, because climate change (see box) is making storms more frequent and severe. Better-built homes and schools will help make future typhoons less terrifying, and the lives of children will get back to normal more quickly.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Cou

rtes

y of

NA

SA G

odda

rd M

OD

IS R

apid

Res

pons

e Te

am

COVER PHOTO: © UNICEF/NYHQ2013-1009/MAITEM© U.S. Fund for UNICEF, unicefusa.org

a terrifying Typhoon

Typhoons (also called hurricanes or tropical cyclones in other parts of the world) develop in the warm waters In the western part of the Pacific Ocean. They can cause widespread damage as powerful winds and heavy rainfall reach out many miles from the storm’s center.

Climate change is a major and lasting change in weather conditions. Today, climate change is mainly caused by global warming. The gas carbon dioxide, which is released from burning coal, oil, and natural gas, builds up in the Earth’s atmosphere and traps in too much heat. The heat causes ocean temperatures to rise, making conditions for extreme weather more common.

What types of natural disasters occur in the Philippines? Which type increased most in each 10-year period? What do these numbers tell us about climate change? What do they not tell us about climate change?

Climate Change and Global Warming

Philippines

33

Use the map, graph, photos, and text on pages 2 and 3 to complete the paragraph below.

Sky High and Up Close

© U

NIC

EF/

NY

HQ

2012

-129

1/A

LES

SIO

RO

ME

NZI

about 90% of the city of Tacloban was destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan.

© U

NIC

EF/

PFP

G20

13P-

0529

/Mai

tem

Students attend school inside a tent. Nearly 3,200 schools and daycare centers were damaged or destroyed by the typhoon.

The Philippines is a country made up of many small ____________. (There are over 7,000 of them!)

The Philippines is located in the ____________ Ocean and is considered part of the continent of

_________. Natural disasters happen all over the world, but the geography of the Philippines makes

________________, _________________, and _________________ especially common there. The number

of natural disasters linked to climate change and global warming is increasing. Between 1980 and

1989, there were ________ weather disasters in the Philippines. Between 2000 and 2009, the number

of weather disasters was __________. This means that in 30 years, the number of such disasters over a

10-year period increased by _________! The United Nations (UN) is holding special meetings this year

in New York and the Philippine capital of __________ for global leaders to discuss climate change. One

reason why the UN might be concerned about climate change is ____________________________________.

4

Fun and Games These are traditional games played by kids in the Philippines. Try playing them at recess.

Buwan-Buwan: A circle is drawn on the ground. All of the kids stay inside the circle except for the one who is “it.” The one who is “it” must stay outside the circle, while trying to tag one of the kids on the inside.

Araw-Lilim: This tag game means “sun and shade.” The one who is “it” tries to tag kids who are in direct sunlight. Those standing in shade or in a shadow are “safe.”

Doctor Quack Quack: Kids stand in a circle. They cross their arms in front of themselves and then grab hands with the kids on each side of them. The group must untangle without anyone losing their grip.

For most of his life, 12-year-old Jericho has lived with his grandmother in a bamboo hut in Roxas City. The house was too weak against the strong force of Typhoon

Haiyan and was badly damaged. “We were afraid because the roof was shaking and then broke. Grandma was almost hit by the falling debris,” said Jericho. Luckily, they found shelter at a neighbor’s house and stayed safe.

After the storm, Jericho found support at a UNICEF Child Friendly Space. UNICEF and its partners set up tents so children would have safe places to play, learn, and get counseling and support in order to build resilience. Resilience means being able to heal, recover, and “bounce back” during stressful times. In Tagalog (tuh-GAH-log), the national language of the Philippines, paki-kasama means “togetherness.” Paki-kasama helps children heal.

Jericho has made good progress. He is back in school, and the hut he shares with his grandmother has been repaired with a shiny new aluminum roof. On the weekends, Jericho continues to participate and now even volunteers at the Child Friendly Space. He listens to the stories of other children and helps them recover from the pain of the typhoon. “When it rains or when the wind gushes strongly, I remember the things that happened during the typhoon,” Jericho says. “Of course, I am afraid, too.” It’s a scary thing to remember, but Jericho and other children are building their strength and resilience at this safe community space. “The way I see it, it is a big help to us after the typhoon. It does help me in a big way with my recovery.”

Think, Write, Discuss…

• How are Child Friendly Spaces helpful to a community after an emergency?

• Why is it important to build resilience? Why is resilience especially important for the children of the Philippines?

• What suggestions do you think Jericho and other volunteers give to children recovering from the typhoon? Why is it good for the children to share their stories with each other?

Compose Your Thoughts: Write a journal entry from Jericho’s perspective in which he describes his life one year after Typhoon Haiyan. Consider how things have changed for him and how he is gaining strength and building resilience.

2Jericho’s Story

© U

NIC

EF

Phi

lippi

nes/

2014

/Aro

y

Jericho and his grandmother in their home in Roxas City (see map on page 3).

© U

NIC

EF/

NY

HQ

2014

-025

4/P

irozz

i

Children color inside a Child Friendly Space.

5

T he Philippine government and its partners are learning from past disasters,

including Typhoon Haiyan. This helps them to better prepare for future disasters. They are focusing on building back better in three areas: construction, technology, and preparedness.

Not only do severe storms bring strong winds and rain, they often create a surge, or huge gush, of ocean water that leads to major flooding. Typhoon Haiyan and its storm surge destroyed many homes and schools made of bamboo and wood located near the coast. Plans for building back better include using stronger construction materials, such as concrete and steel, and rebuilding on safer, higher ground.

Family members can be separated during the chaos of a sudden storm. New technology allows disaster workers to quickly upload the names and photos of lost children to mobile phones. Other

workers can then search the system for missing children. This tool helped speed up the process of reuniting 130 children with their families.

Being prepared means knowing what do when an emergency strikes. It also means having supplies ready. Typhoon Haiyan damaged and polluted water systems. Without safe water for drinking, cooking, and bathing, people got sick. The repair work was slow because the workers didn’t have the supplies they needed. Now, supplies are being kept on hand for the next emergency, including extra pipes, generators to power the water pumps, and chlorination equipment to treat water and make it safe for people to use.

Natural disasters may last only minutes or hours, but recovering from the damage can take many months or years. In the Philippines new natural disasters keep happening even while the country is working to rebuild

from the last one. That’s why it’s especially important for the Philippines to build back better. It means that children will be safer and more resilient when future disasters strike.

, the United Nations Children’s Fund, works in more than 190 countries to help kids survive and grow. UNICEF supplies medicines and vaccines, clean water, nutrition, shelter, and education. UNICEF also responds when emergencies occur, such as earthquakes, severe storms, and war.

it is impossible to control natural disasters—which often strike suddenly and can be very unpredictable—but it is possible to cut the risk of danger and damage when they do strike.

© U

NIC

EF/

NY

HQ

2014

-025

0/P

irozz

i

Building Back Better

Schoolchildren practice an earthquake drill. Knowing what to do when an emergency occurs is one of the best ways to stay safe. What safety drills do you and your classmates practice?

© U

NIC

EF/

NY

HQ

2011

-159

1/G

onza

lo B

ell

© U

NIC

EF/

UK

LA20

13-0

3809

/Sha

h

6

Climate change is affecting the environment, leading to rising sea levels, longer heat waves, and stronger storms. UniCef and its partners are helping communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. Just like the philippines, other countries around the world are preparing for disasters in order to reduce the risk of danger and destruction when they happen.

reducing risk Around the World

Label each description using the three areas of building back better discussed on page 5: construction, technology, and preparedness.

BangladeshIn areas of Bangladesh close to the sea, flooding caused by rising tides makes the groundwater too polluted and salty to drink.

UNICEF and its partners are helping families there capture clean rainwater. Rainwater runs down the sloping tin roof of a house, into plastic gutters, and down into a tank. The tank holds enough safe water for a family to use for about three months.

Madagascar The island country of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean gets hit every year with strong cyclones that damage or destroy schools. If kids aren’t able to go to school, they don’t gain the knowledge and skills they need to become successful adults.

UNICEF is working to replace damaged schools with stronger structures that can stand up to cyclones. This will allow children to continue going to school even after disaster strikes.

UgandaMany countries in Africa, such as Uganda, suffer from repeated droughts or dry spells. Without enough rain, crops fail to grow. This has led to food shortages.

The United Nations is supporting scientists who are working to improve a plant’s ability to grow with very little water. By planting crops that can survive dry spells, farmers can produce food even when there is little rain.

BoNUS! Research online to find other examples of countries working to reduce their risk of disaster. Look for ways that construction, technology, and preparedness are helping to reduce disaster risk.

© U

NIC

EF/

NY

HQ

2006

-099

5/N

oora

ni©

UN

ICE

F/N

YH

Q20

09-1

242/

Piro

zzi

© U

NIC

EF/

UG

DA

0156

0/H

yun

7

Kids Help reduce Disaster riskNatural disasters happen all over the world, even close to home. There aren’t any ways to avoid natural disasters, but we have learned that if people plan for them, they can stay safe and lessen the risk of danger and damage when a disaster occurs.

Did you know that kids are helping to create plans to reduce the risk of disaster where they live? UNICEF and its partners asked more than 600 children in Africa, Asia, and Latin America these questions:

• What impacts do disasters have on your lives?

• What support systems exist in your communities to help tackle disasters?

• What more could be done to take steps to protect children from disasters?

What do you think the kids said was their greatest concern? Education! They want schools that are safe and they don’t want learning to be interrupted by natural disasters. Do you agree that education should be a top priority when it comes to preparing for disasters?

Write the word for each clue.

1. Examples include volcanoes, hurricanes, and floods

2. Shelters used for temporary schools and child-friendly spaces

3. Organization that works to help kids all over the world

4. Caused by global warming

5. Severe tropical storm

6. A photo shows how this city was nearly completely destroyed

7. Paki-kasama is the Tagalog word meaning

Now transfer the letters in order from each circle above to complete the phrase.

Building helps kids bounce back when disasters strike.

Is it important to involve kids in planning for disasters in their communities? Write a paragraph explaining your opinion. Include at least two reasons why you feel this way. Use facts from the articles in this magazine to support your reasons.

VoCabulary ChallenGe

reflect

© U

NIC

EF/

NY

HQ

2014

-012

5/P

irozz

i

8

How UNICEF uses donations to help children

After learning about Typhoon Haiyan, students at Riverstone Montessori Academy in Marietta, Georgia, asked, “What can we do to help?” The class of third – sixth graders formed committees and got to work.

They held a bake sale and set up a booth at the school’s annual art festival, but one of the most creative ways they raised donations was by selling T-shirts. First, they conducted a design contest and voted on the winner. To get supporters to fund the T-shirts, students prepared a presentation and pitched it to local businesses. To promote T-shirt sales and raise awareness of their project, they recorded a commercial for their Facebook page and even performed a flash mob at a mall.

All of their hard work paid off. The students raised close to $6,000, which they donated to UNICEF. “We researched places to donate the money,” explained Tessa, a fourth grader. “We chose UNICEF because they help children just like us.” The project gave students the opportunity to participate in their local and global communities. “It’s a really awesome feeling to help other people,” said Henna, a fifth grader. “No matter what age you are, you can still help.”

Kids Helping Kids

Cou

rtes

y of

Riv

erst

one

Mon

tess

ori A

cade

my

© U

.S. F

und

for

UN

ICE

F

This amount… Can buy these supplies…

$30 8 story books

$30 Notebooks and pencils for 60 children

$33 First aid kit

$68 5 days of nutrition for 10 hungry children

$133 Water kit to provide safe, clean water for 10 families

$213 School-in-a-Box kit that meets the needs of 1 teacher and 40 students to carry on classes for 3 months

$2,000 1 large tent for use as a school or child-friendly space

With the money they raised, what items can the kids of Riverstone help buy for the kids of the Philippines? Create a few possible lists.

you, too, can take action!• Stay Informed: Learn more about

the impacts of climate change on children around the world. Check out current events websites such as CBBC News (bbc.co.uk/cbbc), DOGOnews (dogonews.com), Indy Kids (indykids.org/main), or KidsPost (washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost).

• Be Civic Minded: Find out what your community is doing to better prepare for disasters. Ask your local government how they are involving children in the planning. Share your concerns about climate change and natural disasters.

• Donate: Help children in countries affected by natural disasters build back better. Use the ideas of the Riverstone kids to inspire you, or visit teachunicef.org/unicef-school-fundraising for other possibilities.