A Manchester charity has teamed up with UNICEF and Oxfam to deliver vital life-saving equipment and skills to the typhoon-hit Philippines.
Human Appeal has sent specialists to Cebu – one of the most devastated areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan two weeks ago.
In the last two years they have developed quick response teams to provide specially-designed shelters, food and water facilities to thousands of displaced families in Syria.
The charity is now working to coordinate relief efforts and get teams to the worst hit regions in the Philippines.
Chief Executive of Human Appeal, Othman Moqbel, said: “It is vital that aid programmes in disaster areas are well coordinated.
“Through our work in Syria we have learned a lot about getting aid such as shelter, medicine and food supplies into the worst areas fast and effectively.
“We already have a team on the ground providing medicine, food and safe drinking water to regions devastated by Typhoon Haiyan.”
DEVASTATION: A village in the aftermath of the typhoon
The team already out there are delivering aid to Ormoc and Tacloban, with a second team due to land later today which will be heading for Bohol, Northern and Eastern Samar and Leyte in the Eastern Visas region in the Philippines.
Human Appeal – which is predominantly funded by donations from Muslim communities to help Muslim countries – is extending its programme to the Philippines and will remain there after the immediate crisis has been handled.
Mr Moqbel added: “The Muslim community in the UK responds very quickly to calls for help such as this.
“Human Appeal began as a Muslim charity but we are now attracting funds from a wide range of communities in the UK.
“The need for help in the Philippines is great and we need to be there.”
Typhoon image courtesy of NASA via Wikipedia, with thanks
Village image courtesy of BBC via YouTube, with thanks
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