The relationships formed with Japanese agencies in response to the strongest known earthquake to ever hit Japan are now amplifying efforts to stop the deadliest outbreak of Ebola the world has ever seen, which began in West Africa in December 2013.

Ebola Epidemic Causes Global Shortage of Protective Gear

In mid-2014, Direct Relief began supporting partners in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea with resources for Ebola response, including critical medicines and medical supplies as well as protective equipment for health workers on the front lines of treating the highly contagious disease, which spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids.

As concern grew in the United States and other countries about the spread of Ebola across borders, quality personal protective equipment (PPE) was in high demand. It became very difficult to source donations, and almost impossible to purchase.

Calling Upon Japan Partners for Help

Japan is at the forefront of technology, so the Emergency Team thought to ask the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC) if they knew of any Japanese vendors of coveralls and other PPE.

Direct Relief partnered with JANIC after the earthquake and tsunami to ensure aid was delivered where most needed.  JANIC’s coordination efforts and strong ties to hundreds of stakeholders and local nonprofits working in Tohoku helped Direct Relief find trusted partners doing great work in a country where Direct Relief had previously not conducted relief efforts.

In response to the urgent request for PPE in West Africa, JANIC went further. They adopted enthusiasm for the cause, enlisted the help of non-governmental organization, CWS Japan, and began asking local governments and groups if they had any PPE for donation.

City of Yokohama Donates 60,000 Sets of PPE to West Africa

Several government entities acquired stores of PPE in 2009 when the Avian flu was a major scare. The preparedness plan required keeping the PPE stores for five years.

Wanting to contribute to the global effort to stop the spread of Ebola, the City of Yokohama donated 60,000 full sets of basic protective gear: gloves, gowns, goggles, face shields, shoe covers, and masks to Direct Relief.

In February, 30,000 sets were included in 100 Healthcare Facility Support Modules sent to West Africa.  The other 30,000 were shipped directly to partners in Sierra Leone and Liberia, who are trying to revamp the basic healthcare system and protect healthcare workers.

This significant donation illustrates the value of building and maintaining relationships beyond a disaster situation as well as coming together as a global community to help in times of need.

The post How Japan Relief Efforts Four Years Ago are Helping Fight Ebola Today appeared first on Direct Relief.

The drive from Last Mile Health‘s main field office in Zwedru, Liberia to their logistics base in Ziah Town (Eastern Liberia, bordering Ivory Coast) takes several hours over bumpy dirt roads. From there, it’s another hour through the forest to a small village called Piah, at which point the road stops and the last few miles to Gbarwu begins. The hour-long hike to the small village winds through brush, across narrow log bridges, and beneath a canopy of soaring trees.

If you type “Piah, Konobo District, Liberia” or “Gbarwu, Konobo District, Liberia” into Google Maps, you will be asked to check your spelling because to the greater world, these places don’t exist.  But Piah and Gbarwu and thousands more villages in Liberia do exist, and they are home to thousands of people who will die of very treatable conditions, such as malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea, without basic health interventions.

As the forest cleared and the village came into focus, one of its residents shouted from across the village for our group to wash our hands before walking any further. We dutifully washed our hands with the provided soap and water, surprised and delighted that the Ebola messaging had penetrated this far into the Liberian rainforest.  Last Mile Health was partly to thank for this.

Gbarwu’s remoteness limits the number of visitors it receives, and the team from Last Mile Health and Direct Relief received a very warm reception by its residents. The team from Direct Relief traveled to Gbarwu, a town of just 170 people, to learn about the work of Last Mile Health and their frontline health worker (FHW) program.

Health Workers Brave the Frontlines of Ebola

Last Mile employs, trains, and supports residents of these small villages and towns to become Frontline Health Workers, empowering them to support their community with very basic health interventions, health education, population monitoring, and referrals to health facilities.  Gbarwu’s FHW is Moses, a quiet man who takes great pride in caring for the men, women, and children in his community.

Part of the FHW model that Last Mile uses are FHW supervisors, who daily travel long distances by Land Cruiser, motorbike, or foot to the remote villages to monitor, educate, re-supply, and generally support the FHWs.

Moses’ supervisor, Markson, traveled with us that day.  Taking careful notes first on paper, then on a mobile app (a project Last Mile is piloting to digitize and simplify data collection), Markson asked Moses to tell him what had taken place since he last visited: any births? deaths? people coming or going? did he treat any one for pneumonia? malaria? how many referrals had he made and to what health facilities?  Markson took stock of the town’s supply of basic medicine–a locked box Moses kept in his home–and made sure that Moses knew how to properly measure and administer the liquid amoxicillin (different than the capsules he received before).

Markson observed as Moses interviewed a local women with squirmy young boy on her lap.  Sitting the required 3 feet away (to minimize potential disease transmission), Moses asked the woman if she had heard about Ebola, if she knew what it was, how to identify symptoms, and what to do if she observed them in the community.  The woman had heard of it; she knew that it was real, it was deadly, that she should not touch dead bodies, and that she should not eat bush meat.

To end the supervision visit, Markson provided feedback to Moses, praising his work but warning that before interviewing patients about anything else, he should screen each person for contact with sick people and symptoms of Ebola.  More than 500 health care workers have died of Ebola in West Africa, so Last Mile Health takes the safety of Moses and the other FHWs very seriously.

Moses asked Markson when he would be able to get the next training module; he was eager to be able to provide more services.

Delivering Care to the Last Mile

We spent a couple hours in Gbarwu, alongside Moses and Markson as they worked. As we ate the lunch of flavorfully spiced rice and goat soup, we asked the village leaders what they needed most. A road, they replied unanimously.

While the walk between Gbarwu and Piah is stunning, it’s a serious obstacle to business, education, and health. In order to extend their FHW program as far as they do, Last Mile Health focus intently on logistics and operations.  The red clay roads are narrow and perpetually wet under the lush green cover, even in the dry season.  The bridges are flimsy, rotted wood boards, some of which lie alongside rusted vehicles that got stuck and abandoned.

Each day, the operations team in Ziah assesses what’s passable by car, by motorbike, by foot, or not at all, as is often the case in rainy season.  The FHW supervisors are trained, then trained again, on riding a motorbike over the terrain, a necessary danger.  In their off time, the Last Mile team trades stories about wading through chest-deep water, and getting stuck in the mud.

Last Mile Health is working with the Ministry of Health and other partners to extend the success of the FHW program throughout the entire country. Direct Relief has been privileged to support Last Mile Health since 2012, and will continue to do so as their life-saving work expands to every last mile of Liberia.

The post From the Field: Providing Care in Liberia’s Most Remote Villages appeared first on Direct Relief.

Restoring Capacity as Ebola Wanes

Today, Andrew (Director of International Programs and Emergency Response) and I visited the Holy Spirit Catholic Hospital in Makeni, a beautiful 85-bed capacity hospital in the third largest city in Sierra Leone.  The facility was clean, spacious, and well-kept.

Infection control procedures prevented us from visiting patient care areas of the hospital without properly donning protective clothing, which we were not prepared to do.

Dr. Patrick Turi told us that the hospital was closed during the height of the Ebola crisis and is now running at about half capacity because of the sharp decrease in patients seeking care at medical facilities. He believed that the hospital would run at full capacity again as the surrounding communities regain trust in the health care system.

In the pharmacy, we took turns identifying items that we recognized as having been donated by Direct Relief through local partner Medical Research Centre.  Noticeably, several Teva drugs were being distributed to patients, such as the antibiotic azithromycin.  Dr. Turi was excited about the prospect of receiving more specialized drugs for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension, which could help offset costs, such as rehiring of staff.

Support Continues for Successful Ebola Treatment Unit

Next, we visited the Ebola treatment unit dubbed Hastings II, which still boasts the highest survival rate in the country at about 70 percent.  The unit is operated by the Sierra Leonean military but the hygienic tasks and nursing duties are carried out mostly by volunteers. These individuals choose to work in a dangerous environment in hopes of getting priority for paid work.

When we arrived, there were no less than a dozen men and women in matching blue scrubs cooling in the shade outside the treatment ward.  In the compound that houses the Ebola treatment unit (a converted police training facility), there is an administrative building, a storage unit, and the Ebola ward itself, which is divided into several sections.  The Ebola ward is partially visible from the common area.

Recovering patients watched us as the doctor pointed to the notes stuck on the inside of the plexiglass and explained that this was a form of communication, as no items are physically transferred in and out of the ward.  Direct Relief, through Medical Research Centre (MRC), shipped significant amounts of pharmaceuticals and supplies to Hastings.

Supplies Stocked in Country

Down the street from the Hasting Treatment facility, MRC Director Abdul Jalloh showed us the warehouse rented by MRC to store donated drugs and supplies.  Direct Relief provided a grant to MRC to rent and operate this warehouse as well as purchase a truck to transport the supplies to more than 50 facilities in three districts.

The warehouse was beautifully clean and organized, and stocked entirely with supplies sent by Direct Relief: Ansell gloves, Baxter fluids, We Care Solar panels, and much, much more.  A small team was loading up the truck to take to Bo – the second largest city in Sierra Leone.  Andrew and I were very impressed.

Abdul recalled how Hastings II once ran out of ceftriaxone, which was essential to treat patients with certain types of bacterial infections, and MRC was able to provide the drug immediately because of the donation. He said the Central Stores would have taken two weeks.

Reinstating Maternal & Child Health Services

To end our day, we visited Aberdeen Women’s Centre in Freetown, a facility which we have supported through the Obstetric Fistula Repair Program.  Aberdeen is the only permanent facility providing obstetric fistula repair in Sierra Leone.

Through funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and others, and supplies from Direct Relief, Aberdeen strives to provide at least 200 fistula repair surgeries per year (an incredible number).

Because of reallocation of resources to fighting Ebola, they have not been able to provide fistula repair services since April, but they plan to restart soon and continue to provide birthing services. The facility delivered 1,228 babies in 2014, several by caesarian section.  Painted on the wall toward the entrance is “YU NOR DEY PAY NO MONEY” – all services are free of charge.

Looking Toward Life After Ebola

After only a few days, but endless discussions about Ebola with health authorities, politicians, local leaders, and medical practitioners, it is apparent that the complexity of the issue is staggering—the disease, the politics, the unintended consequences, the international response, the messaging, the historical implications, and on.  Sierra Leone’s history will forever be divided into “before Ebola” and “after Ebola” just as it is colloquially divided by the civil war.

The post From the Field: Health Facilities in Sierra Leone Work to Restore Services appeared first on Direct Relief.

Packing winds of up to 93 miles per hour and gusts of up to 115 mph, the typhoon has prompted the evacuations of thousands of coastal residents in the Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Calabarzon regions.

Already in the field conducting relief efforts following  Typhoon Haiyan in November, staff are now monitoring the damage in Bicol and surrounding affected areas. In addition, they are working with the Director of the Department of Health in Philippines Region 5, the area worst hit so far by Typhoon Glenda, to assess needs, coordinate support for health facilities there, and determine how best to establish logistics channels.

Massive stocks of critical medicines and supplies are on standby – both at Direct Relief’s headquarters as well as its warehouse in Cebu, Philippines – and are ready to deploy, if requested.

Since Typhoon Haiyan, Direct Relief has been working with local organizations to implement Palantir technology for utilizing data intelligence in emergency response situations. The data preparedness effort will aid responders’ ability to draw insights from this storm and future emergencies.

Direct Relief has given more than $600,000 in cash grants to community responders and shipped more than $16.3 million (wholesale) in medicines and medical supplies to the Philippines since 2013.

The post Readying Response as Typhoon Glenda Hits the Philippines appeared first on Direct Relief.

The Haitian government formally declared a medical emergency and anticipates that up to 50 percent of the population will be affected by the outbreak. They’ve begun extermination efforts to help prevent the disease from spreading.

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne virus spread by the same mosquitoes that carry dengue and yellow fever. The disease has been spreading in the Caribbean since December, detected in Haiti for the first time in May. There is no vaccine to prevent chikungunya, or medication to treat it, but patients need access to products that can reduce the symptoms–dangerously high fever and severe joint pain.

If patients do require hospital care, the availability of rehydration products are also critical to have on hand.  To address these needs, Direct Relief is rapidly mobilizing pain relievers, fever reducers, and oral rehydration products.

There is significant concern about the effects of chikungunya on the health of Haiti’s population, especially at the beginning of the rainy season because there is high likelihood for increased incidence of cholera and heavy storms.  Direct Relief is shipping six Hurricane Preparedness Modules in anticipation of the need.

Direct Relief is one the few large non-governmental organizations regularly providing donated medicines to Haiti that has a permanent presence and staff in the country.  Direct Relief works very closely with the Haitian Ministry of Health and its public hospitals, providing over $120 million worth of donated medicines since the devastating 2010 earthquake.

Click here to donate to Direct Relief’s Emergency Preparedness and Response initiatives.

The post Chikungunya Outbreak: Emergency Aid Bound for Haiti appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief’s local partners, the Loloma Foundation and the Solomon Islands Living Memorial Project, report that in addition to massive displacement, the islands are battling a deadly dengue fever outbreak.

The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes, which breed in standing water in tropical climates. Already facing a dengue fever epidemic, the Solomon Islands are significantly more susceptible to spread of the disease as mosquitoes breed in the standing water left by the floods.

The Living Memorial Project’s main partner is the National Referral Hospital in capital Honiara on Guadalcanal Island, the largest island in the country.  This 350-bed facility is the main hospital for the entire country, annually serving 45,000 patients free-of-charge.

Direct Relief is arranging an emergency air freight shipment to the hospital to fulfill immediate needs at the facility and in surrounding areas.  The shipment will include requested oral electrolyte solutions for rehydration, emergency medical kits, and hygiene items.  Direct Relief will also arrange a subsequent shipment to fulfill longer-term needs of the displaced and medically underserved populations.

The post Emergency Aid Headed to Flooded Solomon Islands appeared first on Direct Relief.

A delegation from Direct Relief and partner organization the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) traveled to Fukushima Prefecture in Japan late in 2013 to assess the work being done by nonprofits to support survivors of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Although Direct Relief and the JACL have granted more than $5 million through the Japan Relief and Recovery Fund, the opportunities to support projects in Fukushima Prefecture over the first two years following the disaster were limited due to the very dynamic and unsure situation surrounding the radiation contamination from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.  Currently, recovery from the earthquake and tsunami in the worst affected areas of Fukushima Prefecture is estimated to be more than one year behind its neighboring prefectures.

Our first briefing was given by the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC), who operates a NGO (non-governmental organization) Collaboration Space in Fukushima City.  We were told that more than 300,000 people are homeless, over half of whom originate from Fukushima.

Additionally, tens of thousands of have chosen to evacuate for fear of radiation exposure, or for lack of work and services.  Voluntary evacuation has been conspicuous, particularly for young adults and women with young children, exacerbating the already glaring “brain drain,” and leaving a population weighted heavily toward the elderly.  Many elderly residents and landowners still wish to return to their homes.

As we learned from JANIC, the Fukushima Future Center for Regional Revitalization (FURE), and NPO SHALOM, the radiation contamination issues are multifaceted and complicated. Residents are challenged with keeping themselves and their families safe against a danger they cannot see, hear, smell, or taste.  In many cases, families have split; the women and child evacuated, the men remaining behind to work.  Those who are unable or unwilling to leave must sort through conflicting information about the dangers of radiation.

As we visited partners in the field, the Geiger counters (radiation detectors) stationed at each facility were constant reminders of where we were.  Our first visits were guided by partner Living Dreams, who supports children’s homes across the country, including several in Tohoku. We visited two homes, Aoba Gakuen and Iris Gakuen in Fukushima City.  The children enter the homes an average of two academic years behind their peers, and less than five percent of them are eligible for college after graduating high school.

On top of these issues, staff need to be concerned with radiation exposure. After multiple decontaminations to the outdoor play area, wind and water runoff periodically re-contaminate the areas in which children play.The level of radiation exposure changes if the measurement is taken indoors or outdoors, closer or further to the ground, over different surfaces, while it’s raining, and upstream or downstream from debris runoff.  Among other implications, this means that children are exposed to higher levels of radiation just because they are closer to the ground.

We visited a preschool where the smallest children, not even born when the disaster occurred, carried dosimeters tied around their necks with a piece of yarn like a necklace—allowing their teachers and parents to track each child’s cumulative exposure. Even if one is successful at obtaining accurate measurements, the danger of exposure is debated among experts and observers.

In Minamisoma, we were met by partner organization, the Japanese International Volunteer Center (JVC), at Terauchi Tukagou Temporary Housing.  About 175 families live at this site, either tsunami survivors, nuclear disaster evacuees, or both.  Some of the families living here had homes that were destroyed by the tsunami, however, most have homes that are intact, just down the road in a town called Odaka. Shortly after Typhoon Wipha, we arrived at Minamisoma, the closest any of us had been to the nuclear power plant.  However, the radiation from the nuclear explosions expanded in a northwestern pattern so  Fukushima City, although much further from the plant, has higher level radiation than Minamisoma.

Hit hard by the 45-foot tsunami and evacuated immediately after the nuclear disaster, Odaka was a no-entry restricted zone until April 2012.  At that time, radiation levels were determined to be low and the roadblock was removed for daytime visitors.  Although some residents come to tend to their homes and gardens, the town is ghostly vacant.  The town has not had the benefit of large machinery or clean-up efforts, and crushed cars and foundations of homes rest just as they did in March 2011.

The only noticeable differences are cleared roads and overgrown vegetation. Electricity still powers a few lonely streetlights but no other services are operating. Immediately as the sun dips below the horizon, police patrols sweep the town of any lingering visitors.  One resident showed us the foundation of his home, which had been destroyed by the tsunami.

The next day we traveled north to Natori City, where we visited a center for children with disabilities supported by Association for Aid and Relief (AAR), our biggest recipient of funds since the disaster. The facility is run by a cheerful teacher who was forced to move her nonprofit out of Fukushima because of the dramatic drop in clientele as families evacuated.  Her goal is to help the children, most of whom are autistic, be socially independent.  The government does not recognize most of the children as having a disability so they often fall between the cracks and are unable to get the services they need.

The funding we are able to provide to organizations providing services to survivors in Fukushima is just a small part of what they need to rebuild their lives.  However, for the thousands of survivors who will benefit from the recovery efforts, the generosity of Direct Relief’s supporters is making a tremendous difference.

Related posts: Recovery Continues Three Years After the Japan Earthquake & Tsunami

The post From the Field: Fukushima, Japan appeared first on Direct Relief.

Since 2007, Direct Relief has annually deployed medical essentials in specially designed Hurricane Preparedness Packs at the start of the season (June 1) to health care facilities in hurricane-prone regions of the U.S. and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

This pre-positioning effort ensures a portable stockpile of the most-needed medicines and supplies to provide both trauma and chronic care are on hand in the event of an emergency. Items not used by the end of the season (November 30) are absorbed into clinic and hospital inventories to assure that the resources are used and benefit their patients.

In years past, the hurricane preparedness modules have been opened not only in response to major storms and flooding, but also to address a wide variety of crises including a volcanic eruption, mudslides, and disease outbreaks.  This was also the case in 2013. Here’s three examples from last year:

• Justinien University Hospital in Cap-Hatien, Haiti used medicine and supplies from their PREP module to treat victims of tear gas attacks at nearby high schools.  The hospital also reported using items from the module to treat prisoners suffering from tuberculosis, victims of serious accidents, a young burn victim, and HIV-positive patients.
• Nos Petits Frères et Soeurs, a nonprofit organization that administers a pediatric hospital and a permanent home for abandoned and orphaned children in Haiti, opened the module in response to heavy rains and flooding.  Wynn Walent, Assistant National Director, reported that, “Rains ruined homes, caused mudslides and deaths, and created an untenable situation in Cite Soleil, a challenging and destitute area under any circumstances, but particularly so when inundated with water.”
• Project Global Village, a long-term Direct Relief partner that operates medical clinics in rural Honduras, opened their module in response to a severe dengue fever outbreak combined with a stark shortage of critical medicines through the entire country.

2014 will be Direct Relief’s eighth year implementing this program.  In addition to providing preparedness packs and modules to 60 facilities in 9 U.S. states and 6 Central American and Caribbean countries, assistance will expand to Mexico and the Philippines, two countries that are at very high risk for severe storms.

The post Preparation Underway for 2014 Hurricane Season appeared first on Direct Relief.

Shipped directly from Abbott’s facility in Pakistan, the supplements will be used by Murshid Hospital and local partners to treat children who have been affected by the disaster.

More than 21,000 homes are damaged, leaving over 100,000 people homeless.  Survivors in the remote region are coping with high temperatures, exposure, and lack of drinking water during the hottest month of the year in Pakistan.  Abbott nutritional supplements will help treat and prevent malnutrition in families that lack access to sufficient nourishment.

Abbott Laboratories is a key disaster relief partner, often providing nutritional supplements for preparedness and response.  Disasters often cause an interruption in access to food, clean water, and medical care, resulting in increased occurrences of malnutrition and illnesses, especially in children.

Additional aid to Pakistan is scheduled, including an emergency air shipment leaving this week of essential antibiotics, IV solutions, nutritional supplements, and medical supplies.

For updates on this response, please  follow our Twitter account @DirectRelief.

The post Children Affected by Pakistan Earthquakes Receive Nutritional Aid appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has extended offers of medical assistance, and have staff already travelling to India for other ongoing assistance activities with local partners and will adjust plans accordingly to respond to this event.

Tropical Cyclone Phailin pounded the eastern coast of India, bringing strong winds and rain to areas that are prone to frequent flooding even without a cyclone’s presence.

In Odisha state, where the cyclone landed, it has been reported that at least 13 people were killed after trees fell and walls collapsed when the storm hit. Another death was confirmed in Andhra Pradesh state, India’s disaster management authority said.

Many feared the death toll would be higher. Massive evacuation efforts helped limit the number of casualties, officials said.

As a result of Cyclone Phailin, Direct Relief has also reached out offering support to partner organization Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) based in Cochin. Since 2004, Direct Relief has worked with AIMS to strengthen emergency response capabilities, including funding a state-of-the-art telemedicine van that enables AIMS to provide high-level care to remote populations.

During emergencies, AIMS transports the telemedicine van to camps for internally displaced people, where it provides everything from primary care to complex diagnosis via a satellite transmission of data and video conferencing to its main hospital. Direct Relief also stocks the mobile unit with the essential medicines and supplies needed to treat common health concerns that arise in flood situations.

Direct Relief is one of a very few humanitarian agencies which are covered by a bilateral Indo-U.S. agreement allowing aid shipments to enter India on a duty-free basis.

For decades, Direct Relief has provided the people of India with millions of dollars worth of medical aid to help people affected by poverty and natural disasters. Direct Relief has been cited by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama as one of the most important sources of medical relief for the Tibetan refugees in India since 1959.

The post Responding to Cyclone Phailin appeared first on Direct Relief.

Though the winds carrying Tropical Storm Karen have dropped and it is not expected to become a hurricane, NBC reports that experts recommend people in the area brace for a significant storm. Storms that are relatively low on a hurricane scale can still cause substantial damage, such as Category 1 Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which caused nearly 300 deaths and more than $68 billion in damage.

At the beginning of hurricane season (June 1), Direct Relief deployed Hurricane Preparedness Packs to 50 communities in nine hurricane-prone states to ensure readiness for the season.

The extensive pre-positioning effort guards against storm-related health risks by providing portable stockpiles of medications and supplies that are most needed in the aftermath of a hurricane.

The packs contain more than 160 separate items identified by experience, usage, and adjusted based on ongoing feedback and experience from partner organizations in an expanding number of states each year since the program began in 2007.

Each U.S. Hurricane Preparedness Pack holds enough medical supplies to treat 100 patients for a variety of conditions, from basic trauma injuries to chronic illnesses, for a 72-hour period. This supply allows the partner organizations to continue providing essential services while needs are assessed and additional medicines and supplies can be shipped.

Direct Relief’s team will be on standby over the weekend as the storm makes landfall. Please follow our Twitter account @DirectRelief for updates.

The post Aid Ready as Tropical Storm Karen Approaches Gulf Coast appeared first on Direct Relief.

This week, the team received an update from staff at Sunrise Monfort Family Clinic Loveland location:

“The Colorado flooding was an unprecedented event, where more than 10 inches of rain fell in less than 72 hours.  This flooded the rivers over capacity and caused widespread flooding.  There were at least 8 deaths; 2,000 houses destroyed; and over 10,000 houses affected by the flood. 

Some mountain towns were completely shut off.  It affected over 2,000 square miles of land.  The current problems include finding shelters and housing for these people; cleaning out basements; and dealing with most people not having flood insurance and of course the emotions that go with this all. 

The [Direct Relief] supplies we received have gone directly to those affected and are in shelters or in the clean-up process.  I will share one quick story of a mother who lost everything and was handed a donated Pillow Pet*. This made her cry for what that meant at that moment.    

We are supplying one shelter, one Red Cross location, and two nonprofit front line organizations across two counties with these wonderful donations.  Thanks everyone for helping us be the front line in helping in this crisis.”

So far, Direct Relief has sent 16 shipments of life-saving supplies to two of its health center partners supporting various relief efforts in their own communities affected by the flooding. Direct Relief anticipates ongoing deliveries in the coming days and weeks as cleanup continues and families return to their homes.

The post Update from Colorado Clinic Treating People Affected by Floods appeared first on Direct Relief.

So far, seven shipments of highly-requested products such as nutritionals, antibiotics, wound care, hand sanitizer, personal hygiene supplies, allergy medicines, and medicines for chronic conditions  have been delivered to two health center partners working in three cities – Evans, Loveland, and Fort Lupton.

Though the heavy rains have subsided, health care risks often increase during cleanup. During and after flooding, many people are at high risk of developing skin and eye infections, respiratory infections, and waterborne illnesses.

Direct Relief’s Emergency Response Manager, Andrew MacCalla, is coordinating efforts on the ground near the flood zones and reports that partner Sunrise Montfort Family Clinic in Evans – one of the partners receiving aid shipments – has started seeing people with rashes and respiratory issues.

MacCalla said that as a result of broken sewage systems, Evans is currently on a “no flush-no wash” ordinance, meaning no one in the entire city can use their toilets, showers, or sinks. People have to drive to neighboring town shelter to shower and use mobile bathrooms.

Staff at Salud Family Health Centers – another partner receiving aid – said they expect that many people have lost their critically-needed medications in the midst of flooding and/or evacuation.

In addition to maintaining communication with its local health center network, Direct Relief’s team has also connected with other response agencies, including the Colorado Primary Care Association, Boulder Public Health Department, the Colorado Public Health Department, the health services division of the Red Cross, and Team Rubicon.

Needs are still being assessed, but Direct Relief anticipates continued requests for medicines and supplies for people displaced and living in shelters – particularly hand sanitizer and hygiene items. The team is also readying its stock of tetanus vaccines to protect cleanup workers.

To support Direct Relief’s general emergency relief efforts, click here.

Please follow our Twitter account @DirectRelief for the latest updates on this response.

The post Relief Efforts Continue for People Affected by Colorado Flooding appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipment will support a team of doctors from the Peruvian American Medical Society, who are traveling to one of affected areas of the nation.

Supplies include oral antibiotics and eye medicines, as respiratory infections – including pneumonia – and eye infections are a serious health concern, according to disaster reports.

The low temperatures – hitting -15 degrees Celsius or 5 degrees Fahrenheit – are coupled with the heaviest snowfall to hit Peru in a decade and are predicted to continue until the end of September.

Already, the weather event has affected thousands of people and killed tens of thousands of livestock, leaving many farmers destitute.

Direct Relief’s Emergency Response Team continues to monitor health-related needs and reach out to other partners in the area.

Please follow our Twitter account @DirectRelief for the latest updates on this response.

The post Readying Medicines to Help Peruvians Affected by Severe Cold appeared first on Direct Relief.

Cholera is a highly-contagious waterborne disease that can kill a person within hours if not properly treated. However, with swift medical care and the right supplies, 80 percent of cases can be successfully cured.

Because the bacteria has a short incubation period, cholera often has an explosive pattern of outbreaks, especially during the rainy season, which lasts from May through October. Using bleach helps neutralize fresh pulses of active bacteria that may be brought to new areas.

When HAS Haiti first noticed the outbreak in late July at their clinic in Bastien (a rural mountain community), they kept their remote clinics closest to the outbreak open around the clock.

Their staff told Direct Relief they were worried they did not have enough bleach to disinfect homes and treat water sources that flow to the lower Artibonite Valley of Haiti where 345,000 people live.

Direct Relief was able to respond to the request within 24 hours because of its stock of supplies housed in its Haiti warehouse and fast response for donations from its corporate supporter, The Clorox Company. This allowed HAS Haiti to maintain adequate stock and provide continuous care in an urgent situation.

HAS Haiti reports they are getting about 10-15 new cases each day, which is still manageable, however, the rates are not slowing down as the outbreak continues to evolve.

They are working to stabilize active cases and prevent new ones through community hygiene education, water treatment, and disinfection of homes. Management Sciences for Health is also helping distribute the supplies.

Direct Relief’s team continues to monitor the situation and is prepared to ship additional products and medicines.

The ongoing cholera epidemic in Haiti has killed more than 8,000 people and affected 600,000 since it was reintroduced in the country in October 2010.

Direct Relief has worked with HAS Haiti since the 2010 Haiti earthquake and subsequent cholera outbreak. It has steadily supplied the hospital and it’s satellite clinics with multiple large shipments of medicines and supplies each year to help HAS Haiti treat people in need.

The post Responding to the Latest Cholera Outbreak in Haiti appeared first on Direct Relief.

Project Global Village works in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa and in many of the surrounding areas where the majority of cases have occurred.  The emergency shipment, valued at more than $1 million wholesale, contains acetaminophen to reduce fevers and and  intravenous rehydration to balance fluids and speed recovery, as well as basic pharmaceuticals generously donated by Allergan, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and Virtus Pharmaceuticals.

Dengue fever is a virus which is primarily spread by mosquitoes, most commonly in low-elevation, tropical environments.  In some cases, the disease develops into the far more serious hemorrhagic dengue, which increases mortality rates from less than 1 in 20 to 1 in 4.  The disease is more common among children and infants, and can be especially severe in people with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and asthma.

Staff at Project Global Village report that many of the products in this shipment will be stored for use in what is expected to be a difficult year for mudslides and flooding. Their team is also conducting public education outreach efforts about eliminating standing pools of water, especially in rural areas, to prevent the proliferation of mosquitoes, one of the best ways to manage the disease.

Dengue fever causes about 25,000 deaths annually.  A dangerous epidemic has been recorded in over 110 countries, but is particularly severe in South East Asia, Latin America, and throughout the Caribbean. No vaccine exists for dengue.

The post Responding to the Dengue Fever Outbreak in Honduras appeared first on Direct Relief.

The monsoon rains and subsequent flooding are feared to have killed up to 1,000 people, stranded more than 70,000 people, and have caused massive destruction to homes and temples in the area, reports CNN. Some areas have already seen more than twice their monthly rainfall totals for June and it’s the earliest monsoon season has ever come to the area.

During and after flooding, many people are at high risk of developing skin and eye infections, respiratory infections, diarrhea, malaria and cholera. Highly requested products following flooding events include: nutritional products, IV solutions, antibiotics, wound care, personal hygiene supplies and medicines for chronic conditions.

Post updated at 12:00 p.m. PST June 24, 2013.

The post Readying Response to Landslides, Flooding in India and Nepal appeared first on Direct Relief.

The growing fire, which has consumed 15,000 acres and has destroyed at least 360 homes – the most ever in a Colorado wildfire – has prompted the evacuation of more than 38,000 people, according to the Denver Post. So far, no injuries have been reported.

The team has offered assistance to three local health center and clinic partners, the Colorado Community Health Network, as well as the Red Cross. Direct Relief is stocked with commonly-requested items for fires, including particulate masks, inhalers, nebulizers and other supplies used to treat patients suffering from respiratory problems related to the fire and smoke. In addition, first-aid products, medical supplies for eye irritation, and personal care products are on standby should they be requested for potentially-affected patients.

Wildfires pose serious health risks beyond the flames themselves. The smoke contains particulate matter that can hurt the eyes, irritate the respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung conditions, especially in children. An air quality warning has been issued for the Colorado Springs and Denver Metro area as a result of  concentrated levels of the heavy wildfire smoke.

Additionally, any rapid, mass evacuation raises general health risks for evacuees, particularly those who require medications to manage chronic conditions, like asthma and diabetes. These treatments are often forgotten when people rush to flee their homes in an emergency.

The emergency team continues to monitor the latest fire activity (large dots) in relation to its partner network (small yellow dots) using Palantir software (pictured above). Direct Relief also has an intern correspondent on the ground in Colorado Springs who reports that she and her family are safe, but have packed and are prepared to evacuate.

Direct Relief has been a part of past Colorado wildfire response efforts, including the Waldo Canyon Fire last year, in which the organization shipped more than $25,000 worth of medicines and supplies to its nearby health center partner.

Follow Direct Relief’s Twitter feed for the latest news from partners as it unfolds.

The post Responding to the Black Forest Fire in Colorado appeared first on Direct Relief.

With the Moore Medical Center completely destroyed by the tornado,  Direct Relief’s local network of community health care providers are working to make sure the increased health care needs for both acute and chronic conditions are met for people who are medically underserved.

Since the storms, 37 deliveries of life-saving supplies valued at more than $790,000 have been sent to 10 partner health center and clinics in the area  treating people in need.

“The support and assistance [Direct Relief]  provides gives us the ability to help others,” said Kimberly Crawford of Southeast Missouri Health Network (SEMO), whose staff was on the ground soon after the storms hit.

Health-related risks aren’t over when the storms end. About half of tornado-related injuries occur after the storm, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Stepping on nails or other sharp debris, being hit by falling objects from damaged buildings and risk of fire, electrocution or an explosion from damaged power lines, gas lines, and electrical systems are all concerns for people near the devastated areas.

Staff from SEMO drove a mobile medical unit filled with medicines and supplies from New Madrid, Mo. to Moore, Okla. and traveled street to street, providing basic first aid and other needed care to people trying to salvage what they could of their personal belongings. Direct Relief helped SEMO purchase the mobile unit after they experienced the deadly tornadoes in Joplin, Mo. two years ago.

“The relief effort in Moore went very well. The tornado victims were so appreciative of what we were trying to assist with,” said Crawford.

Additionally, shipments of tetanus vaccines from Direct Relief allowed responders from Community Health Centers, Inc. to provide multiple tetanus vaccine clinics for people helping with debris clean up, including fire department employees, tornado survivors and volunteers to protect them from infection. While providing the vaccine clinics, staff saw quite a few survivors with injuries and medication needs.

To help people who were left without livable homes, Direct Relief sent personal care supplies such as soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste as well as over-the-counter items to six evacuee shelters, outreach sites, and aid stations run by the American Red Cross. These items help people displaced meet their most basic needs.

As response efforts continue, Direct Relief is thankful to be working with dedicated staff at its health center partners on the ground; its 35 corporate supporters who have made product available for people in dire need; and FedEx who is providing in-kind transportation.

The post Update: Oklahoma Tornado Response Continues appeared first on Direct Relief.

The wildfire, which broke out near Santa Clarita in the Angeles National Forest last Thursday, quickly grew to 45 square miles over the weekend and has forced the evacuations of 1,000 homes. It has burned five to six homes and damaged 15 structures so far, according to NBC Los Angeles. Full containment of the fire is not expected until June 10.

Mayra Pineda of Antelope Valley Community Clinic in Lancaster reported that poor air quality caused by smoke from the fire is affecting their patients’ health. Direct Relief is readying N95 particulate masks, inhalers and nebulizers for people receiving care at the clinic.  In addition, first-aid products, medical supplies for eye irritation, and personal care products are on standby should they be requested for potentially-affected patients.

Smoke levels can worsen symptoms for people with chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people can experience symptoms of abnormal breathing, coughing, chest discomfort and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The emergency team has reached out to four other health center partners near the affected area  and continues to monitor the latest fire activity (large dots) in relation to its partner network (small yellow dots) using Palantir software (pictured above).  Follow Direct Relief’s Twitter feed for the latest news from partners as it unfolds.

The post Responding to the Powerhouse Fire in Northern Los Angeles County appeared first on Direct Relief.

In response to the wildfire – dubbed the White Fire – burning in the Santa Barbara back country, Direct Relief has offered assistance to local responders. If needed, Direct Relief has a stockpile of fire-related medicine and medical supplies ready to deploy from its warehouse.

The White Fire, which started as a five-acre brush fire Monday afternoon, has burned 1,800 acres and was 10 percent contained as of Tuesday morning, according to the Santa Barbara Independent. An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 people were evacuated from the area, most of whom were camping for the holiday weekend. No injuries and only minor property damage have been reported at this time, cites Noozhawk.

The emergency response team is in touch with the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, local health center partners, and other local responders. Direct Relief stands ready to respond with its stock of masks, inhalers, nebulizers and other items used to treat patients suffering from respiratory problems related to the fire and smoke. In addition, first-aid products, medical supplies for eye irritation, and personal care products are on standby should they be requested for potentially-affected patients.

Smoke levels can worsen symptoms for people with chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people can experience symptoms of abnormal breathing, coughing, chest discomfort and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Direct Relief is ready to meet increased demands in health-related needs, should they arise.

Direct Relief is monitoring the latest fire activity (red, in the above image) in relation to its partner network (yellow, in the above image) using Palantir software (pictured above). This post, as well as Direct Relief’s Twitter feed, will be updated with the latest news from partners as it unfolds.

The post Readying Santa Barbara White Fire Response appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has sent seven emergency medical deliveries valued at over $211,000 (wholesale) to three health center sites serving people affected. Direct Relief is in contact with more than 300 clinic and health centers in storm-affected areas and more priority shipments are planned over the next several days.

Lighthouse Medical Ministries, located just five miles outside of Moore, Oklahoma, have opened their clinic to assist with the response. In the absence of typical transportation options, vans are being sent out to collect people with medical needs and bringing them to the clinic. To reduce the risk of tetanus in the aftermath of the disaster, Lighthouse Medical Ministries requested Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) Vaccine. Donated by GlaxoSmithKline, 210 doses of Tdap vaccine were shipped immediately and delivered yesterday.

SEMO Health Network also requested and received Tdap vaccine. Direct Relief is sending today an additional shipment of personal care items, anti-inflammatory drugs, diabetes supplies, wound care, gloves, and eye care products. These items will support the deployment of a mobile medical unit to Oklahoma on Friday. The mobile medical unit was donated by Direct Relief after the tornadoes that devastated Joplin, Missouri in 2011.

Community Health Center, Inc in Spencer, Oklahoma was not damaged in the tornadoes and is providing care to people who are displaced or injured. Direct Relief has delivered Similac, Family Dental Kits, pelican cases, blankets and infant hats, and prescription medications and supplies to Community Health Center to help with their response.

Additional medical aid to five clinics are planned this week, including medications, medical supplies, personal care items, and 170 vials of Lantus insulin shipped directly from Sanofi US.

The post On the Ground in Oklahoma appeared first on Direct Relief.

As severe storms continue across the central United States – including a two-mile-wide EF4 tornado that tore through the Oklahoma City area this afternoon – Direct Relief is in communication with more than 200 partners in the affected areas and ready to respond to urgent needs.

The Emergency Team has been in contact with Debbie Haller, development and coordinator of Community Health Centers, Inc. in Carney, Okla., where a tornado damaged multiple homes.  The U.S. team is preparing an offer of assistance for items she requested including personal care and over-the-counter items such as gloves, soap, shampoo, deodorant, sanitary napkins, diapers, wipes and formula.

Haller said the health center and staff are fine, but the power is still out. She is working with other local organizations to respond in the community.

At least 51 people have been killed in the two-mile-wide Moore, Okla. tornado that reached wind speeds of 166 to 200 mph, leveling homes, devastating an elementary school,  and injuring hundreds of residents, reports the BBC.

Direct Relief’s Emergency Team has contacted its partner, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and is reaching out to the Oklahoma Primary Care Association in order to identify other health centers in the area.

Monday’s storms are a continuation of a massive storm front that began to hit the central United States on Sunday evening. Earlier this morning, Direct Relief reached out to more than 200 health center and clinic partners in 13 states potentially affected by fist-sized hail, severe rain and tornadoes overnight.

Email and text message alerts have been sent to partners in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. So far, a few partners have replied with messages that they will know more as damage is assessed.

The NOAA expects moderate risks of severe weather from Central Missouri to North Texas to continue today and tonight, with large hail, damaging winds and the possibility of strong isolated tornadoes.

Through use of software from technology partner Palantir, Direct Relief is able to view its health center partners under severe storm watch. This information allows Direct Relief to identify partners most in need, letting them know in advance that Direct Relief’ medical inventory is available.

As the only nonprofit licensed to distribute pharmaceuticals in all 50 states, Direct Relief is uniquely positioned to respond to medical needs during national disasters.

Direct Relief’s Emergency Team remains on high alert and is prepared to respond to requests. Please continue to follow the blog as well as Direct Relief’s Twitter feed, for the latest news as the response unfolds.

The post Responding to Deadly U.S. Tornadoes appeared first on Direct Relief.

As Cyclone Mahasen moves over the Bay of Bengal toward the coast of Bangladesh and Myanmar, Direct Relief is reaching out to its health center partners located in the storm’s projected path and is preparing to respond to urgent requests.

The cyclone – which is expected to make landfall Thursday – has already brought heavy rains to Sri Lanka, causing at least seven deaths and leaving nearly 3,000 people homeless, reports The Times of India. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration  (NASA) expects the storm to reach hurricane force by Wednesday.

Through the use of software from technology partner Palantir, Direct Relief is monitoring storm tracking updates from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in relation to its local partners (shown in yellow).

Humanitarian workers are concerned about the tens of thousands of people living in low-lying refugee camps directly in the cyclone’s path. Most vulnerable are the Rohingya Muslims living in fragile camps in flood-prone areas, notes Voice of America.

During and after flooding, many people are at high risk of developing skin and eye infections, respiratory infections, diarrhea, malaria and cholera. Highly requested products following flooding events include: nutritional products, IV solutions, antibiotics, wound care, personal hygiene supplies and medicines for chronic conditions.

Please continue to follow the blog for the latest updates on emergency response efforts.

The post Monitoring Partners Near Bay of Bengal as Cyclone Mahasen Approaches appeared first on Direct Relief.

The emergency response team is in touch with its health center partners located near the affected areas while also preparing its stock of masks, inhalers, nebulizers and other items used to treat patients suffering from respiratory problems related to the fire and smoke. People with heart or lung disease may experience adverse conditions.

When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people can experience symptoms of abnormal breathing, coughing, chest discomfort and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In addition, first-aid products, medical supplies for eye irritation, and personal care products are on standby should they be requested for potentially- affected patients.

Authorities have ordered the evacuation of thousands of homes in both Ventura and Riverside counties. More than 10,000 acres have been consumed in the Springs Fire blaze near Camarillo. No injuries have been reported so far.

The Summit Fire, near Banning, Calif. in Riverside County, has destroyed one home and left two firefighters with minor injuries. It has burned roughly 3,000 acres, reports the Christian Science Monitor.

The post Ready to Respond to Southern California Wildfires appeared first on Direct Relief.

The survey results identified community-specific barriers to health care, estimated the prevalence of children with pneumonia who did not receive treatment, and obtained a baseline of health indicators. This information allows Last Mile Health, and other healthcare providers in rural Liberia, to design interventions addressing the identified local needs as well as demonstrate impact as they target the most vulnerable communities in the district.

The survey consisted of 99 questions and was deployed by a small team of local, trained Frontline Health Workers (FHWs). Last Mile Health applied a two-stage cluster sampling method to 31 villages containing more than 1,800 households and a population of 17,300 people.

The results show that more than 28 percent of children under the age of five had experienced recent symptoms of pneumonia, but only 11 percent were taken to a health facility. Nearly half of women surveyed had had at least one child die before reaching the age of five.

These number are stunningly worse than results of the 2007 Liberia Demographic and Health Survey, reporting that nine percent of children in rural areas had recent symptoms of pneumonia and 58 percent of those were taken to a health care facility.

The survey collected invaluable data on not only pneumonia in children, but also broader health and wellness issues, including health system access and use, education, water and sanitation, and maternal and child health. Additionally, Last Mile Health was able to use GPS devices to create the first comprehensive map of rural villages and access. Last Mile Health is using the health data combined with the mapping data to train additional FHWs in the primary identification and referral of health issues like pneumonia in young children.

As a result of the survey and the above-expected prevalence of pneumonia and pneumonia-like illnesses, Last Mile Health has decided that in addition to providing targeted treatment for pneumonia, they will also increase their provision of care for common related illnesses, malaria and diarrhea, that contribute to the high occurrence and morbidity rate of pneumonia in children.

“Liberia is one of the highest malaria endemic countries…hence, the best strategy to successfully and effectively treat acute respiratory infections/pneumonia, especially in the community, is to empower Frontline Health Workers (FHWs) to screen and treat malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea in an integrated manner,” said Frontline Health Worker Clinical Mentor, Alice Johnson. She added that they are now training FHWs in community-based “Integrated Management of Childhood Illness: Malaria, Pneumonia, Diarrhea and Malnutrition.”

The survey is a part of an ongoing commitment to strengthen access to maternal and child health by supporting community-based expansion of rural access to pneumonia treatment for children. After full analysis, Direct Relief and Last Mile Health will work together to begin a year-long program to increase the treatment of childhood pneumonia by 50 percent in the Konobo district of 30,000 people.

The post Health Survey Sets Baseline for Positive Change in Rural Liberia appeared first on Direct Relief.

Pati Landrum, Director of Corporate Compliance for SeMRHI, reported on the conditions of both the city and their health center sites.  According to Ms. Landrum, there were 80 people injured, but thankfully, no fatalities. More than 200 homes were damaged or lost.

One of their clinic locations experienced damage, but considering the impact of this level of tornado, Ms. Landrum says she “counts ourselves very lucky.”

SeMRHI is working to evaluate what they need to assist their community in recovering from this devastating disaster. Direct Relief is maintaining communication with Ms. Landrum to evaluate how best Direct Relief can support both their clinic and patients in the following days and weeks.

The post Evaluating Medical Needs After Tornado Hits Hattiesburg, Mississippi appeared first on Direct Relief.

Typhoon Bopha, locally known as Pablo, tore across the southern Philippine islands Dec. 4, leaving  loss of life and severe infrastructure damage caused by floods, mudslides, and heavy winds reaching 93 mph.

As emergency crews continue to sort through the wreckage left by Typhoon Bopha last week, the official death toll has reached 900.  The vast majority of deaths and missing persons reports are on the southern island of Mindanao, where nearly 150,000 homes were destroyed.  Emergency response efforts are focused on the basic needs of the 80,000 people reportedly in shelters.

The team of 24 doctors from Philos Health who will carry Direct Relief’s support medicines are headed to the city of Davao on the island of Mindanao, one of the areas hit hardest by Typhoon Bopha. Supplies include basic medications to treat high blood pressure, viral infections, bacterial infections, and fungal infections.

Many of the affected areas on Mindanao are among the most impoverished and least stable in the Philippines.  Those on the island had already been hit by Tropical Storm Washi, which brought catastrophic damage to Mindanao one year ago and resulted in over 1,200 deaths and severe damages to crops and infrastructure.

The post Urgent Medicines Sent to Doctors Treating Typhoon Bopha Survivors appeared first on Direct Relief.

News sources report more than 300 deaths and several hundred injured and missing, mostly on the hardest-hit island of Mindanao, located south of the capital, Manila.

In addition to loss of life, severe infrastructure damage is being reported. Floods, mudslides, and heavy winds reaching 93 mph destroyed roads, collapsed bridges, and leveled buildings.

Edgar Claude Nadal, president of Davao Adventist Hospital on Mindanao, wrote in an email, “Right after the typhoon we went to the severely hit area. It was so devastating, a lot of people lost their houses and properties and even lives. We were one of the first to supply them with food and clothing as well as medicines.”

Nadal reported that the hospital has some existing medicines and supplies from Direct Relief, but the stock is being consumed quickly. He also said they are coordinating with nearby Valencia Hospital to respond to the emergency.

“We are so blessed to have Direct Relief as partners to help those who are in need,” he wrote, adding that medicines and supplies have helped in previous typhoons and earthquakes.

In addition to ongoing shipments of medicine and medical supplies, Direct Relief supported past emergency response efforts in the Philippines, including Typhoon Ketsana in 2009 and severe flooding in 2012.

The post Assessing Medical Needs After Typhoon Bopha Batters the Philippines appeared first on Direct Relief.

With winds to 160 mph, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane,  Typhoon Bopha has made landfall in the Philippine island of Mindanao, where two partner hospitals – Valencia Hospital and Mindanao Hospital – are located.

More than 41,000 people have been evacuated into nearly 1,000 government shelters in accordance with President Benigno Aquino’s call for evacuations yesterday, saying: “(Bopha’s) destructive potential is no laughing matter. It is expected to be the strongest typhoon to hit our country in 2012.”

Bopha is the sixteenth typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2012. On average, 20 typhoons hit the country each year.

After the last major typhoon to hit the Philippines,  Typhoon Ketsana in 2009, Direct Relief provided medical material aid and cash assistance to partners working in the area.

The post Monitoring Partners in the Philippines as Typhoon Bopha Makes Landfall appeared first on Direct Relief.

The partner organization, Caritas de Guatemala, provides health care and other services for many of the local indigenous Mayan population, a group that consists primarily of subsistence farmers, who are particularly vulnerable  to extreme weather conditions and natural disasters.

Indigenous Guatemalans suffer from malnourishment, poverty, and unequal access to basic services, including health care.  The UN reports that the life expectancy gap for indigenous populations is 13 years lower than the national average.

Direct Relief knows that these realities intensify during emergencies and that it’s critical to support partners who provide care to these vulnerable populations.

The urgent shipment includes first aid supplies, antibiotics, sutures, syringes, needles, minor surgical instruments,  respiratory supplies, and nutritionals.

Medical supplies contained in Direct Relief’s Hurricane Preparedness Modules were also pre-positioned in Guatemala at the start of hurricane season, and were made available for response immediately following this emergency.

Following a wave of aftershocks, more than 40 people have been reported dead, with dozens more missing, in the eastern departments of San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, and Solola, Guatemala.

Several days after the disaster, Caritas de Gautemala sent this report on the housing crisis:

“A total of 2,263 homes have damage ranging from mild to severe, where the majority of the population of the affected departments is indigenous and lives in deficient conditions where poverty is stark. Most homes are built from adobe and have clay and tile roofs and with the intensity of the earthquake, it is possible that a number of families having to leave their homes, because many homes are now uninhabitable.

Surely aid will be immediately required for the reconstruction of housing for families, who do not have the capacity and financial solvency for this type of response. The road infrastructure is in poor condition, in some places the road was cracked; reported vehicle damaged 3 bridges and a number of buildings with serious damage, among these schools.”

Since this report, the number of homes destroyed has been increased to more than 5,000.  Severe disruptions in road infrastructure, electricity, and clean water access have also been reported in the affected departments.

Direct Relief is preparing additional shipments of medicines and medical supplies to be sent to Guatemala in the following weeks to support the ongoing need there as the situation continues to develop.

The post Supporting Indigenous Populations Affected by Guatemala Earthquake appeared first on Direct Relief.

As part of the exercise, Direct Relief worked with the Public Health Department transport supplies and set up a mock field treatment site in downtown Santa Barbara.  Volunteers from the local medical community, including members of the Santa Barbara Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), utilized the field treatment site and supplies to treat mock victims.

The exercise itself follows several months of planning and training and is designed to increase access to healthcare in an emergency by practicing disaster preparedness plans, supporting local collaboration, and making improvements going forward.  Recent and developing lessons from Superstorm Sandy, such as shortage of electricity and fuel, have been integrated into the exercise.

The post Emergency Team Participates in Statewide Preparedness Exercise appeared first on Direct Relief.

“The epicenter was near the coast, but it was felt all over Guatemala,  a grade 7.4, we hope to God that it does not recur,” reported Erika Orozco of Caritas de Guatemala in an email yesterday.

The current death toll reported is 52, however, the number is expected to rise as aftershocks continue and rescue crews work through the rubble.  Over 700 people are in shelters and many more are without water and electricity.

Association of Health Promoters, located near the damaged mountain towns of San Marcos and San Pedro Sacatepéquez, reported that staff is assessing the situation and determining need for aid.  Dr. Jane Buellesbach expressed concern by phone that the hospital is “poorly equipped and staffed and ill prepared to take on large numbers of injured people.”

Longtime Guatemalan partner God’s Child Project, located in Antigua, reports that they are not currently responding but are on standby if the government requests assistance from the local NGO community.   A hurricane preparedness module has been pre-positioned with God’s Child Project, containing enough medicine and medical supplies to treat up to 5,000 people if needed, and available to other partners in Guatemala who may be responding.

Direct Relief stands ready to airfreight additional medicine and medical supplies to Guatemala if requested.

The post Ready to Respond to 7.4 Guatemala Quake appeared first on Direct Relief.

Hurricane Sandy is expected to hit eastern Cuba tonight and move through the Bahamas Thursday and Friday, moving north along the east coast of the U.S. over the weekend.

Seven Hurricane Preparedness Modules have been pre-positioned in the Caribbean, including Jamaica and Haiti, where they could each support up to 5,000 people for one month. Hurricane Preparedness Packs are also at the ready along the U.S. East Coast in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. To see a map of Direct Relief’s Hurricane Preparedness Program partners and live hurricane tracks, click here.

The post Hurricane Sandy Makes Landfall in Jamaica, Heads North appeared first on Direct Relief.

Working together, Direct Relief and ANERA have identified the most essential medicines and supplies, over 700 lbs. of sutures, syringes, hypertensives, surgical scrub, bandages, and other personal care products (valued at over $645,000) provided by Covidien. At least one full, 40-foot ocean container of hospital beds, sodium chloride, wound dressings, and other medical material will follow and should arrive Saturday.

Since the civil war in Syria began in March of last year, an estimated 250,000 refugees have fled to camps in neighboring Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon. In the past few months, threats of air and artillery attacks have accelerated the exodus. The ANERA office in Lebanon has registered 66,000 Syrian refugees already. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),  75 percent of the new arrivals are women and children and many of these refugees are entirely dependent on humanitarian aid, some coming with only the clothes on their backs and few financial resources.

This aid will help strengthen medical services for Syrian refugees in Lebanon and demonstrates Direct Relief’s mission to improve the health and lives of those affected by poverty, disaster, and civil unrest. Direct Relief sincerely thanks Covidien for their partnership in supporting these relief efforts.

The post Medical Supplies Support Growing Syrian Refugee Crisis appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief originally sent the supplies as part of a hurricane preparedness module program, but the supplies can be used to treat a wide variety of health needs in any emergency.

Javier Castro of God’s Child Project said the module will be used to get first-aid medicines to those arriving at the shelter in need. The government asked God’s Child Project, or Asociacion Nuestros Ahijados, to open an evacuation center as it is located less than 10 miles away from the volcano.

The module, valued at $57,000, contains nutritional supplements, wound dressings, and antibiotics as well as medicines for certain chronic medical conditions and contains enough medicines and supplies to treat up to 5,000 people for one month.

Many of those displaced by the eruption are beginning to stream into Antigua. Castro reported that other shelters have been set up in nearby rural areas but appear to be struggling to meet the increasing needs.

God’s Child Project is one of 11 international partners in hurricane-prone areas to receive a Direct Relief preparedness module at the beginning of hurricane season, June 1. These emergency modules are versatile enough for any disaster and have been previously used to respond to flooding and the massive earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010.

God’s Child Project is a Guatemalan non-profit organization that provides clinical services to over 2,700 medically underserved children and adults per month. They provide these services through their clinic located on their site in Antigua and also work closely with the Guatemalan Public Health Care System and other international organizations.

Their mission is to provide health care education and empowerment to underserved families, widows, abandoned and abused women, and single mothers. These critical services are temporarily set aside in cases of local disasters as the staff focuses on more pressing emergency relief activities.

Direct Relief will continue to be in touch with partners on the ground in Guatemala as they assess their medical needs. Click to donate to emergency preparedness and response initiatives.

The post Guatemala Partner Ready With Hurricane Module to Treat Volcano Evacuees appeared first on Direct Relief.

While many counties designated medical volunteers to serve on their county’s Medical Reserve Corps there was not adequate funding to equip these volunteers. Direct Relief recognized this gap and began creating customized Med-Packs for the MRC units in California. Each pack contains supplies and equipment to meet a variety of disaster-related health needs, including infection control, diagnostics, trauma care, and personal protection tools. The packs enable Medical Reserve Corps members—trained, credentialed, medical personnel—to respond when disaster strikes.

Direct Relief and the California Emergency Medical Services Authority (Cal EMSA) are working to equip all Medical Reserve Corps members throughout California. Additionally,  Direct Relief received the Outstanding Medical Reserve Corps Partner Organization Award from the national Office of the Civillian Volunteer MRC organization in 2010.

Over the past three years, generous contributions from FedEx and other donors have allowed Direct Relief to equip over 1,200 volunteers serving 15 MRC units across the state, from San Diego to Lake County. In the coming months, Direct Relief will supply county medical reservists with an additional 500 MRC packs, with a goal of expanding the program as the organization secures additional program funding.

In the 11 years since 9/11, the U.S. has created a force of over 200,000 volunteers preparing for and responding to public health emergencies including disease outbreaks, wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and terrorist attacks. Direct Relief recognizes the important preparedness role these volunteers play at both the national and local levels, and will continue to support them.

The post 9/11 Anniversary: Progress in Preparedness appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has supported Peace Boat since April 2011 with  cash grants to fund earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster relief and recovery efforts.

Peace Boat’s disaster relief efforts in Japan have concentrated on Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture, a city of 160,000 with 5,000 dead or missing and over 23,000 displaced after the tsunami. Within one week of the disaster, Peace Boat sent a team to Ishinomaki City to collect information about the damage and needs, as well as distribute 10 tons of emergency aid.  Funding from Direct Relief has been used to support volunteer clean-up of cleaning debris from roads and buildings.

Locations:

• Miyagi Prefecture: Ishinomaki City

TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTED: $810,000

• Emergency Relief Program Grant – 2011
• Emergency Relief Program Grant – 2012

Emergency Relief Program Grant – 2011

Project Dates: May 1 – December 31, 2011
Amount: $310,000

Peace Boat has provided assistance to survivors of the Japan earthquake and tsunami, including those living  in evacuation centers and homes in and around Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture.  Although many structures are still standing and inhabitable, the tsunami deposited thick, black mud throughout Ishinomaki City in layers five to ten centimeters thick.  Clearance of the mud is needed to provide residents with safe and usable buildings to return to and resume their normal lives.

An estimated 30% of the Ishinomaki City’s civil servants died during the disaster and many survivors are unable to work.  This shortage of manpower has left a gap in the city’s ability to conduct the huge amount of clean-up needed.  Peace Boat volunteers  fill this gap by dedicating hundreds of thousands of hours to cleaning up mud and debris.

Brett Williams, Direct Relief’s Director of International Programs, said “Peace Boat has gone above and beyond executing its intended operations.  The staff and volunteers have performed in a distinguishing quality well outside expectations and unmatched in other areas affected by the disaster. The manner in which Peace Boat has influenced the continuing recovery of Ishinomaki has become the model and example that government agencies and non-governmental organizations are attempting to reproduce.”

Peace Boat’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

• Basic Needs Fulfillment: Peace Boat provided hot meals, hot baths, and other staples to fill societal gaps created by the earthquake and tsunami. Over 110,000 meals were provided in over 26 locations in Ishinomaki, overseen by a professional nutritionist as well as trained chefs and cooks working to provide healthy choices.
• Income Generation: Peace Boat cleaned and sold cans of fish products that were dispersed by the tsunami.  Proceeds go to the fish product factory to stimulate its rebuilding and reopening.  Peace Boat is exploring opportunities to engage in other economy-boosting activities.
• Mud Clearance:  Peace Boat cleaned mud and debris from homes, business, and public areas with appropriate equipment (boots, gloves, tools, etc).  Since the tsunami, over 1,200 houses have been cleaned in addition to roads, factories, cemeteries, and more.  Over 10,235 volunteer working days have been spent clearing the tsunami-damaged port areas and recovering damaged fishing equipment.
• Temporary Housing Support: Peace Boat supported over 8,000 people in 120 temporary housing communities in Ishinomaki City.  Peace Boat volunteers visit each house one by one to hand out newsletters, interact with residents, and try to understand and address their physical and mental needs.  Peace Boat volunteers work to avoid ‘solitary deaths’ (kodokushi), a phenomenon in which people lose the will to take care of themselves and they are thereafter left alone and neglected.  This was a common occurrence among the elderly population after the Kobe earthquake in 1995.
• Volunteer Program: Between 250-280 volunteers work with Peace Boat weekly, staying for days, weeks, or months.  In the six months following the earthquake, over 7,000 volunteers were deployed to the affected area.  Each volunteer goes through an intensive training course before starting work with Peace Boat; advanced volunteers are trained and certified to train others.
• Local NGO Support: Ishinomaki City local NGO, Ishinomaki 2.0 had joined in partnership with Peace Boat to assist victims of the tsunami.  Ishinomaki 2.0 has engaged in activities designed to support local shop owners and stimulate the local economy.

Emergency Relief Program Grant – 2012

Project Dates: January 1 – December 31, 2012
Amount: $500,000

Peace Boat’s second phase of emergency work continues and expands on the work done in 2011.  Past the emergency relief phase, Peace Boat’s mission is to support the long term social and economic recovery of the town of Ishinomaki and surrounding areas.  In a project proposal, Peace Boat says, “The collaboration between Direct Relief and Peace Boat has greatly left a trusting impact on the Ishinomaki community.”

Goals for recovery work in 2012 include continuing support of local residents and the local economy, and expansion of capacity to train and dispatch volunteers.  Peace Boat is collaborating with various universities and NGOs to carry out activities and develop disaster relief training for volunteers.

Peace Boat’s major recovery activities are detailed below:

• Mud and Debris Clearance:  Peace Boat cleaned mud and debris from homes, business, and public areas with appropriate equipment (boots, gloves, tools, etc.).  Priority for receiving assistance is based on need.
• Temporary Housing Support: Disaster survivors have very few people to communicate with, as fellow residents of the temporary shelters are also burdened by loss.  Due to cultural factors in this very traditional region, survivors are less inclined to make use of counseling services.  Volunteers, as outsiders, can provide a safe outlet to share their experience.  Volunteers can express the needs of the survivors and seek professional assistance if needed.  Other assistance provided includes planting gardens, moving furniture, and distributed newsletters.
• Volunteer Program: Peace Boat deploys 400-500 trained volunteers weekly.  Although the number of volunteers has been decreasing, Peace Boat is encouraging corporate and academic participation.  Peace Boat is investing in the training and registering in volunteers due in part to the realization that “Training [volunteer] individuals in disaster relief is a crucial investment for Japan, a country which will inevitably suffer natural disasters in the future.  Insufficient volunteer coordination is a critical weakness in the system, leading to an under-utilization of human resources in the aftermath of catastrophe.”
• Fishery Support: Volunteers are being trained to salvage and clean fishing equipment and return it to local fishermen to expedite the recovery of this important industry

Read personal stories about Peaceboat in Japan: http://peaceboatvoices.wordpress.com/

The post Peace Boat Grant Summary appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has supported Shapla Neer since April 2011 with cash grants to fund earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster relief and recovery efforts.

Shapla Neer began its relief activities shortly after the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in March 2011. Funding from Direct Relief was used by Shapla Neer to support activities in Fukushima Prefecture on the border of the nuclear evacuation zone, where the threat of radiation contamination led to delays in providing supplies and assistance, isolating citizens.

Shapla Neer focused services on people living in temporary housing and those living in or near the evacuation area with poor access to services.

Locations:

• Fukushima Prefecture: Iwaki City

TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTED: $185,365

• Emergency Relief Program Grant

Emergency Relief Program Grant

Project Dates: April 1 to September 30, 2011
Amount: $185,365

Shapla Neer’s emergency work has focused on needs in Fukushima Prefecture, where about 100,000 people were displaced as a result of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters. Shapla Neer has worked with the local government in Iwaki City to assess and fulfill the needs of disaster victims living in and around the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.  Shapla Neer has also participated in forums designed to aggregate and share information among governments and nonprofits in the area, creating connections and avoiding duplication of efforts. 

Shapla Neer’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

• Establishment of Disaster Volunteer Centers: In April 2011, Shapla Neer established volunteer centers in Nokoso and Onahama, both operating in collaboration with local government entities.  Volunteers have been carrying out a variety of activities, including cleaning houses and drainage trenches, distributing of supplies, and surveying needs.
• Distribution of Food and Non-food items: Shapla Neer has provided essential items to disaster victims, including water and 950 sets of utensils.  Shapla Neer also provided bottled water to affected residents after a large aftershock on April 11, 2011, which cut off water supply throughout Iwaki City.  One recipient, ‘Mr. A,’ said about the support, “By having the set of kitchen utensils offered by Shapla Neer, we are now able to have a meal with family, which is the very basis of life.  Thank you.”
• School Bus Service: Over 200 students from two schools in Iwaki City utilized Shapla Neer’s shuttle services to attend activities and classes in temporary classrooms made available by neighboring schools.  Without this service in summer months, students would not have been able to travel to the schools.  This service allowed parents to work and prevented children from dropping out of school.
• Needs Assessment: Shapla Neer assessed the needs of underserved populations and people living in temporary shelters.  Needs included a variety of goods and services—from blankets to assistance grocery shopping.  A total of 950 families were included on needs assessment surveys.

The post Shapla Neer Grant Summary appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has supported SVA since March 2011 with cash grants to fund earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster relief and recovery efforts.

SVA began its relief activities shortly after the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in March 2011. Kesennuma City was one of the worst hit areas and access to the population of 70,000, many of whom are elderly, was difficult and limited.  Funding from Direct Relief has been used by SVA to support a disaster volunteer center in Kesennuma, distribute food and other essential items, and operate a shuttle bus service and a mobile library.

Following the disaster relief and reconstruction phase, SVA will concentrate on strengthening local capacity to sustain recovery efforts.

Locations:

• Iwate Prefecture: Yamada, Otsuchi, Ofunato, Rikuzentakata
• Miyagi Prefecture: Kesennuma

TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTED: $290,806

• Emergency Relief Program Grant
• Mobile Library Vehicle Remodeling Grant

Emergency Relief Program Grant

Project Dates: March 15, 2011 to March 14, 2012
Amount: $203,524

Within three days of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011, Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA) dispatched an assessment team to the devastated area in and around Kesennuma, on the eastern coast of Japan.  Using experience from the 1995 Kobe Earthquake, SVA has been able to effectively assess and provide for community needs following the disaster.

SVA’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

• Mobile Library Services: The tsunami damaged and destroyed several libraries on the Sanriku Coast.  In response, SVA has conducted mobile library activities in 13 temporary housing establishments, giving children and adults opportunity to not only read and borrow books, but also to socialize and leave their houses, which are very warm in the summer and very cold in the winter. Over 15,000 books are available through SVA, who says “We will do our best to deliver people’s favorite books, memorable books all over the city.”
• Disaster Volunteer Center Establishment: In coordination with government agencies, SVA opened a volunteer center in Kesennuma City on March 28, 2011.  This center serves as a platform to connect volunteers from all over Japan with the needs of victims.
• Meal Provision: From April  to August 2011, a total of 7,068 meals were served at 16 evacuation shelters and community centers.
• Goods Distribution: SVA has distributed a variety of goods, including blankets, clothes, food, books, stationary, and protective masks.  SVA continually assesses the needs of women, children, and the elderly.   They focus on only delivering what is needed to avoid burdening a community with unneeded items.
• Shuttle Bus Service: When lifelines, such as electricity, water, gas, and transportation, were cut off in the affected area after the disaster, it became difficult to maintain sanitary conditions.  SVA provided transportation to bathhouses outside the devastated area to 926 people from Motoyoshi and Karakuwa Districts through May 2011.
• Community Support: SVA holds events to promote socialization and communication among community members in affected areas, especially children and the elderly.  SVA also continues to to assess and support mental health needs.  Six events were held in Kesennuma from June through August 2011, including a music concert, a kite-making workshop, a Buddhist sermon, and a trauma support group.
• Education Support: Parents and children at Oya Elementary School had the opportunity to participate in a 4 week summer program to educate children and provide recreational activities over winter vacation. In addition to providing a productive environment for the children, the program eased the burden on parents during the school break.
• Cooperation with Local Network: SVA’s work includes multiple joint efforts with other local groups and NGOs such as Nippon Foundation, Mogami Sightseen Association, Tsurumi University, Japan Adventure Playground Association, Kesennuma Disaster Volunteer Center, Japan Library Association, and local boards of education.

Mobile Library Vehicle Remodeling Grant

Grant Date: October 1, 2011 
Amount: $87,282

SVA’s mobile library program has become increasingly popular in the temporary housing establishments in Iwate Prefecture. The typhoon season and upcoming winter in Japan would make the current outdoors mobile library setup unusuable. The affects of the tsunami on the local library services, including destroyed books, damaged buildings, and injured or deceased library workers, speaks to the continued value of this service to the community, especially the very young and old. Direct Relief is funding the remodeling of a vehicle, generously donated by Nissan, so that the mobile library can continue services during the winter.

SVA’s mobile library activities are detailed below:

• Mobile Library Services: In the absence of regular library services after the tsunami, SVA is conducting mobile library activities in over a dozen temporary housing establishments, giving children and adults opportunity to not only read and borrow books, but also to socialize and leave their houses.  Volunteers often help with the library activities. SVA reports that when the mobile library appears, “children shout, ‘What’s the car? Many books are on the car!'”  Children are permitted to borrow three books at a once and spend time with their friends selecting their favorites.  One mother said, “This book was my child’s favorite book. We had the same copy at our house, but it was washed away by the tsunami.  I feel relieved having our favorite books around.”
• Accompanying Activities: SVA hosts activities to complement the book lending service, such as storytelling, movie screenings, Rakugo, and tea pourings.
• Evaluation: Review and assessment of everyday activities are made and reported on monthly in order to continuously improve the services for the victims of tsunami.

The post SVA Grant Summary appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has supported SHARE since March 2011 with over $250,000 in cash grants to fund their Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami relief and recovery efforts in Japan.

SHARE began relief activities one week after the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in March 2011. Funding from Direct Relief was used by SHARE to provide medical care to disaster victims. As a result of needs assessments, SHARE decided to focus their support on vulnerable populations in Kesennuma, including elderly people, handicapped people, expectant mothers, and infants.  Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture was one of the areas hit hardest by the earthquake and resulting tsunami and fires.

Locations:

• Miyagi Prefecture: Kesennuma

TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTED: $561,257

• Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 1
• Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 2

Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 1

Project Dates: March 18, 2011 to March 31, 2012
Amount: $250,350

The emergency medical services provided by the NGO Service for the Health in Asian African Regions (SHARE) have addressed the short- and long-term needs of disaster victims. Services have included the provision of medical staff, supplies, and other healthcare services to victims in Natori and Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture. Based on ongoing evaluation, these services will continue through the end of the year or until the local medical care system is again able to address the medical needs of the city’s residents.

Kesennuma was one of the most devastated areas after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. In a city of over 78,000 residents (before the disaster), more than 1,500 people died and 3,800 were displaced. An unknown number of people did not leave their damaged homes. Based on assessments made in the area, SHARE has focused on support for elderly people, disabled people, and expectant mothers, and infants, who continue to live in Kesennuma.

SHARE’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

• Clinic Support Program: During the emergency phase of the disaster, Tohoku Kokusai Clinic in Natori City was the only clinic opened in the area and was charged with treating patients with acute medical conditions, as well as those with chronic medical conditions, particularly those who are elderly.  SHARE deployed 21 doctors, 18 nurses, and 15 logisticians to the clinic which allowed clinic operations to continue uninterrupted – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. During the emergency phase, the clinic initially saw up to 80 patients per day.  The clinic returned to normal operation on March 28, 2011.
• Medical Outreach: SHARE medical staff and volunteers evaluate the nutritional statuses and overall physical health of disaster victims.  Based on their evaluations, the volunteers refer to the recommended healthcare provider for chronic and non-chronic medical conditions. SHARE provides services via mobile clinics, which make primary healthcare accessible to all residents. Over 450 doctors, nurses, and other volunteers have participated in over 2,000 home visits.  Common health problems observed are gastrointestinal issues, cold, diabetes, high blood pressure, and mental illnesses.
• Community Activities: SHARE invites adults and children to participate in community activities, such as a mobile zoo, in order to promote socialization, communication, and general well-being.
• Mutual NGO Support: To facilitate the continued improvement of the health situation in Kesennuma, SHARE is supporting local volunteer organization, Project K, who is collaborating with local authorities and other NGOs to promote community health.  SHARE is providing advice and resources, including office space, supplies, and staff, to help launch Project K and see that they are successful and sustainable.

Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 2

Project Dates: April 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013
Amount: $308,092

SHARE aims to organize and provide necessary daily life and health care support for the community of Hashikami, Kesenuma City.  This community suffered from widespread damage due to the earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent fires.  About a third of the population of this community now benefit from the services of SHARE and partner Project K.

SHARE’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

• Capacity Building for Project K: New non-profit organization Project K (for “Kesenuma”) is receiving mentoring and advice in order to operate independently carrying on similar relief work in Kesenuma.
• Daily Life Support: A community space named “Hashikami Kouryo Hiroba” is open every day to provide health and wellness consultations for people in the community.  SHARE and Project K are also visiting temporary housing units as needed, providing the place and opportunity for health education and health consultation for elderly people living in temporary housing.  This includes exercise classes, lectures, and health checks.  The most common health conditions reported are high blood pressure, cold, diabetes, mental illnesses, and insomnia.
• Temporary Housing Community Support: SHARE is assessing the situations and needs of temporary housing residents.  On average, 73 visitors per month utilize the community space Hashikami Kouryu Plaza.  SHARE and Project K also support 7 community associations which serve to inform the community and provide services.

The post SHARE Grant Summary appeared first on Direct Relief.

Living Dreams is a non-governmental organization established under International Educational Association for Children (IEAC) in 2001. Living Dreams supports children’s homes in Tokyo and Tohoku. The organization uses LAST principles (Learning, Arts, Sports, and Technology) to set children on the path toward becoming responsible, confident, and empowered adults. Currently, Living Dreams supports 2,250 children in 45 homes in Japan.

Direct Relief has supported Living Dreams since November 2011 with cash grants to fund earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster relief and recovery efforts.

Since the disasters in March 2011, Living Dreams has been assessing needs and supporting 19 children’s homes in the affected region. Living Dreams’ needs range from very basic household items to support for more enriching programs. Collaboration between Direct Relief and Living Dreams is focused on an education and support system for children’s homes in Fukushima Prefecture.  Living Dreams is supported by 60 volunteers who help to manage projects and run the organization.

Locations:

• Fukushima Prefecture: Souma City

TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTED: $280,000

• Tohoku Kids Project Grant
• Tohoku Kids “Digital Natives” Project Grant

Tohoku Kids Project Grant

Project Dates: November 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012
Amount: $105,000

Living Dreams is working closely with Smile Kids Japan (SKJ) on the Tohoku Kids Project to support children’s homes (orphanages) in the region most affected by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster.  Direct Relief, with a generous contribution from the Hidy Ochiai Foundation, has “adopted” Souma Aiikuen Children’s Home in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) from the damaged nuclear power plant. Through adopting the children’s home, Direct Relief will support learning, arts, sports, and technology programs for the 32 children who live in the home.

Living Dreams’ relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

• Christmas Wish Program: For the first Christmas after the disaster, the children will receive presents and a lunch party.
• Computer Provision: Living Dreams is purchasing and installing seven computers and one printer for the children and staff at the children’s home.
• Therapy for the Children: An overnight retreat will allow the children to explore their physical and emotional boundaries.
• Tutoring: Over 90 sessions of tutoring will be provided to aid the children’s education.
• Staff Development: Staff members from the home will be provided with training in Tokyo and on-site to improve their ability to educate and care for the children.
• Playground Construction: During the summer of 2012, Living Dreams will rebuild the home’s radiation-affected playground to make it safe for the children to use again.

Tohoku Kids “Digital Natives” Project Grant

Project Dates: March 2014 to March 2018
Amount: $175,000

The core objective of this project is to meet the needs of children through technology programs and learning activities.  The children living in children’s homes in Japan have very little access to the world beyond their home and school. Only nine percent of children in these homes in Japan go to college and about one-third of these children are at least two grade levels below their peers.  Provision of basic technology to these children helps bridge the divide and prepare them for a successful future.

The Digital Natives program is built on the philosophy that access to the Internet can be a viable tool for children to communicate, explore and learn. Simultaneously, the digital medium is fast becoming our go-to and primary source for accessing all kinds of essential services and information; job seeking, government programs, health information, etc. The skills required to access this information are indispensable.

• Internet Connection: Living Dreams will work with the children’s home to connect their facility to high-speed internet, provide wireless access, and ensure safe and secure access for children.
• Supporting Technology: Tablets, laptops, printers, cameras, and supporting software will be provided.  Ideally, each older child will have access to their own device.  Living Dreams will repair, replace, and update technology and equipment as needed.
• Technology Training: Both the managers of the children’s homes and the children will be trained on safe and effective use of the equipment, software, and cloud system.

The post Living Dreams Grant Summary appeared first on Direct Relief.

JANIC focuses on promotion of dialogue and partnerships among NGOs, strengthened capacity and social responsibility, policy advocacy, promotion of citizen support, and collaboration among different sectors of society. In the past, JANIC has responded to disasters in Sri Lanka (2011), Pakistan (2010), Chile (2010), and Haiti (2010).

Direct Relief has supported JANIC since March 2011 with cash grants to fund earthquake and tsunami relief and recovery efforts in Japan.  JANIC supports over 40 Japanese nonprofit organizations representing 200 sites in areas most severely affected by the earthquake and tsunami: Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima prefectures. Several of these partner organizations are also supported by Direct Relief’s Japan Recovery and Relief Fund.

Office Locations:

• Iwate Prefecture: Matsuzaki, Tono City
• Fukushima Prefecture: Matsuyama, Fukushima
• Miyagi Prefecture: Aoba-ku, Sendai
• Tokyo Prefecture: Nishiwaseda, Tokyo

TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTED: $698,709

• Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 1
• Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 2
• Linking Civil Societies with Nuclear Threat for Joint Advocacy for Future Disaster Prevention

Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 1

Project Dates: March 11, 2011 to March 10, 2012
Amount: $328,709 

Based in Tokyo, the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC) has played a central, specialized role in the relief and recovery activities of Japanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in March 2011.  JANIC supports over 50 Japanese NGOs representing 200 sites in areas most severely affected by the disaster: Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima Prefectures. JANIC provides members with a platform to communicate and collaborate.  JANIC’s efforts in Japan have helped to distribute resources, avoid duplication of efforts, and gather and share key data.  JANIC aims to grow grassroots organizations that can take over responsibility for work currently being done by NGOs.  According to Carl Williams, Direct Relief’s Japan Relief and Recovery Coordinator, “The great quality of work in the affected areas and the degree of efforts has clearly been a result of JANIC coordination functions of positive coverage and resource control.”

JANIC’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

• Meeting Coordination: Member NGOs are provided a forum in which to regularly meet one another, plan coordinated activities, and share information about best practices. The forum allows organizations to address demands and challenges from the field and operation centers.  An average of 20 organizations are represented at each information-sharing meeting.
• Information Collection and Provision: Relevant information and updates of members’ activities are shared via JANIC’s website and mailings.  Information is exchanged among key actors in the disaster relief effort, such as the Japan Platform. Over 100 organizations and companies participate in the mailing list.  Emiko Fujioka, Coordinator for JANIC, reported, “Small-scale NGOs do not have good access to information and resources.  We will put more emphasis on giving information to those small NGOs.”
• Pooled Relief Fund: JANIC has established an account to collect “all-in-one” donations related to the earthquake and tsunami.  Over 1,500 donors have contributed over $1 million, distributed equally among JANIC’s member NGOs.
• Donation Matching: Donors offering funds and aid supplies are matched with JANIC members who need those funds and supplies.  Matched support has included dishes, cell phones, computers, maps, staff, and funding.

Donors offering funds and aid supplies are matched with JANIC members who need those funds and supplies.  Matched support has included dishes, cell phones, computers, maps, staff, and funding.

• Nonprofit Support: Member NGOs benefit from the consolidation of policy recommendations, coordination of external supporters, and mutual promotion.
• Policy Advocation: NGOs in the field desire that thier acquired experiences and lessons are reflected in government policies.  In order to support this goal, JANIC issues appeals and recommendations to the government, and participates in the Japan Civil Network (JCN) as one of it steering committee members.

Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 2

Project Dates: March 11, 2012 to March 10, 2014
Amount: $270,000

JANIC continues to support over 50 Japanese NGOs working in areas most severely affected by the disaster: Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima Prefectures.

JANIC’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

• Information Collection and Provision: JANIC tracks members’ relief activities, maintains a master mailing list, and exchanges information between key actors.
• Coordiantion and Support of NGO Activities: On behalf of member NGOs, JANIC consolidated policy recommendations, coordinates external supporters, and promotes relief activities
• External Relations: JANIC has established relationships with Japanese officials and relevant agencies

Linking Civil Societies with Nuclear Threat for Joint Advocacy for Future Disaster Prevention

Project Dates: April 2014 to March 2017
Amount: $100,000

JANIC is partnered with local NGO FUKUDEN to promote networking among citizens of Fukushima, Japan, and the world.  They aim to share the lessons of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima and promote enhancing public knowledge of radiation issues.

JANIC and FUKUDEN’s relief and recovery activities are as follows:

• Enhancing Public Knowledge of Radiation Issues: Other non-profit organizations and agencies comes together to join resources and share information about radiation issues.  Initial collaboration led to the creation of fukushimaontheglobe.com.
• Create Linkages with Asian Nations: Networks of NGOs are employed in Asian countries with nuclear power plants (China, Korea, Taiwan, India, Pakistan) and Asian countries where nuclear power plants are planned (Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia)

The post JANIC Grant Summary appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has supported JVC since March 2011 cash grants to fund Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami relief and recovery efforts in Japan.

JVC began its relief activities one week after the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan. Funding from Direct Relief was used in the immediate aftermath to support the Kesennuma Volunteer Center in Miyagi Prefecture, which provided potable water to tsunami-affected zone. JVC continues to support local needs during the recovery period, independently and in collaboration with the Kesennuma Volunteer Center.

Locations:

• • • Miyagi Prefecture: Kesennuma
    • Fukushima Prefecture: Minami-Soma

    TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTED: $698,709

    • Emergency Relief Program Grant 2011
    • Minami-Soma Community Support Grant 2011
    • Emergency Relief Program Grant 2012
    • Minami-Soma Community Support Grant 2012
    • Community Activities in Minami Soma, Fukushima 2014
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      Emergency Relief Program Grant 2011

      Project Dates: March 20, 2011 to December 31, 2011
      Amount: $151,716

      Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC) has provided assistance to the survivors of the March 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami. JVC volunteers have come from all over Japan to help disaster victims in Shishiori District in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, staying for months at a time.  Sixty-three of the 251 families living in Shishiori District still live in their homes, where JVC visits them and provides assistance.  JVC’s relief activities have included food distribution, transportation, and childcare. These activities are conducted in collaboration with the Kesennuma Volunteer Center, SHARE, and local government agencies.

      JVC’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

      • Volunteer Center Support: From March to August 2011, approximately 200 people volunteered each day at the Kesennuma Volunteer Center, where JVC helped coordinate relief activities in the Shishiori District.
      • Needs Assessment: To identify needs in the community and prioritize relief and recovery activities, JVC conducts household surveys, often in partnership with other nonprofit organizations.
      • Material Aid Distribution: JVS has distributed water, food, and other essential items to residents of Shishiori District in Kesennuma.
      • Income-Generating Activities: JVC has sought to accelerate a return to normal life for disaster survivors by sponsoring activities that provide them with a source of income, such as the repairing fishing tools or selling vegetables donated by local farmers.
      • Community Events: Because many families, friends, and neighbors were geographically separated by the disaster, JVC holds events to reunite communities.  Events—such as tea gatherings and traditional performances—not only celebrate the traditions of the culture, but also encourage communication and interaction.

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      Minami-Soma Community Support Grant 2011

      Project Dates: December 15, 2011 to March 31, 2012
      Amount: $84,440 

      Approximately 15,000 people in Minami-Soma in Fukushima Prefecture lost their homes to the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in March 2011.  Minami-Soma not only suffered serious damage from the earthquake due to it’s soft ground, but a part of the city is also designated as a no-entry zone around the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.  Minamisoma is about 25 kilometers (16 miles) north of the power plant and the remaining residents of Minami-Soma live under continuous low-level exposure. The average age of temporary housing residents in this area is estimated to be 80 years old.

      JVC’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

      • Needs Assessment: Because JVC is supporting temporary housing establishments facing unique issues related to the nuclear power plant, it is predicted that unknown needs will appear.  JVC staff are monitoring the situation and researching the needs of the residents in order to better support them.
      • Community Center Equipping: A total of 338 families in 3 temporary housing units will benefit from the free use and retrofitting of their community centers.  This includes the addition of chairs, tables, tea and coffee sets, and air purifiers.
      • Operation of Community Centers: Before JVC stepped in, the community rooms were usually locked and not free for use by the residents.  In cooperation with Hotaru, the residents’ association, and the municipal welfare council, JVC will operate the community centers until residents are ready to take over.

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      Emergency Relief Program Grant 2012

      Project Dates: January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012
      Amount: $275,844

      Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC) has provided assistance to the survivors of the March 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami. JVC volunteers have come from all over Japan to help disaster victims in Shishiori District in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, staying for months at a time.  Sixty-three of the 251 families living in Shishiori District still live in their homes, where JVC visits them and provides assistance.  JVC’s relief activities have included food distribution, transportation, and childcare. These activities are conducted in collaboration with the Kesennuma Volunteer Center, SHARE, and local government agencies.

      JVC’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

      • Community Empowerment: In Shishiori District, JVC has responded to the requests from the community to provide a community newspaper, cultural events, home visit to remote residents, and community farming support.
      • Winter Protection: Severe winter weather in Japan from December to April disproportionally affects those living in the 232 temporary houses in Shishiori District.  JVC is providing materials and guidance to protect against the cold and improve the living environment inside the homes.
      • Education Support: As most residents in the area attended Urashima Primary School, it has become an important symbol of the community.  Using this space, JVC has been able to bring people together who have been separated.
      • Fishery Support: JVC provides human resources and information to support the those who make a living in this critical industry.
      • Advocacy: JVC is advocating for residents’ opinions and views in regards to proposed large development projects in the area by the government.

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      Minami-Soma Community Support Grant 2012

      Project Dates: April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013
      Amount: $205,696 

      Continuation of the Minami-Soma Community Support Grant 2011.

      ---

      Community Activities in Minami Soma, Fukushima 2014

      Project Dates: October 24, 2013 to March 31, 2015
      Amount: $200,000 

      More than three years after the tsunami and nuclear disaster, the residents of Minami-Soma in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, are still suffering from the effects.  Odaka, a community less than 15 miles from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, was designated as a No-Entry Zone due to high radiation levels.  Approximately 12,000 residents of Odaka were forced to leave their homes and live in temporary housing a few miles away.    In April 2012, Odaka was re-designated and people were allowed to enter the area but not allowed to stay overnight.  It is widely expected that the temporary housing in Minami-Soma will remain open beyond the 2015 closing date given by the government.

      The average age of evacuees living in temporary housing is over 70 years old; many of the younger generation have left the area for fear of radiation and in search of employment opportunities.

      Since the disaster in 2011, JVC, with help from Direct Relief funding, has supported six community spaces to help encourage communication and social activities among residents, many of whom felt isolated following the disaster.

      JVC’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

      • Cultural Activities: Traditional entertainment such as dance and song are taught and practiced in the community spaces.
      • Resident Empowerment: JVC works with local organization, Tsunagappe, to encourage residents to take initiative and participate actively in management of the community and community activities.
      • Psychological Health: In addition to supporting residents’ social interaction and activity levels, volunteer psychiatrists hold information sessions about avoiding depression and staying emotionally and mentally healthy.
      • Local Collaboration: JVC is working in partnership with local organizations, such as Tsunagappe and the Social Welfare Council to encourage residents to use community space and ensure residents are cared for.

The post JVC Grant Summary appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has supported IVY since June 2011 in cash grants to fund earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster relief and recovery efforts.

IVY disaster relief efforts in Japan have focused on activities that stimulate the local economy and help residents resume work in Ishinomaki City and Kesennuma City. Program participants have cleaned flooded houses belonging to elderly people and those who are in most need.

Locations:

• • Miyagi Prefecture: Ishinomaki, Kesennuma
  • Yamagata Prefecture

  TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTED: $698,709

  • Emergency Relief Program Grant
  • Local Power for Local Relief Program Grant

  Emergency Relief “Cash for Work” Program Grant

  Project Dates: June 1, 2011 – March 31, 2012
  Amount: $250,000

  IVY’s Cash for Work program has provided unemployed disaster victims with work and income while also contributing to the recovery efforts by cleaning debris from houses of those who cannot do it themselves. Workers in IVY’s program, some of whom have participated in the cleaning of over 70 homes during the six months following the earthquake and tsunami, are all disaster victims themselves and many lost jobs in fishing or other industries because of the disaster. After three months of employment allowance from the Japanese government, those who lost their jobs did not have a source of income. IVY has built hope, purpose, and self-sufficiency by providing work opportunity.

  Some disaster evacuees, especially elderly people, have been unable to return to their homes because of debris and flooding. IVY’s Cash for Work program has accelerated the return of the elderly to their homes by targeting these houses for debris removal.

  Direct Relief funds nearly one fifth of IVY’s Cash for Work Program, a large percentage of which goes to workers’ salaries and construction tools and materials.

  IVY’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

  • Information Gathering: Homeowners with the greatest need for assistance, especially elderly people, have been identified and prioritized for debris removal.
  • Mud and Debris Clearance:  IVY Cash for Work program participants are paid to clean debris from homes, business, and public areas.  Over 200 devastated houses and offices were cleaned from June to October 2011.
  • Employment of Tsunami Victims:  Over 110 tsunami victims have been employed for more than 10 months in Miyagi Prefecture.  Direct Relief funding pays for salaries of project managers, area managers, group leaders, and office workers.
  • On-the-Job Training: Due to a low supply and high demand for carpenters in the tsunami zone, homeowners are requesting that IVY’s workers perform skilled repair and reconstruction tasks.  In order to raise the workers’ skill level to meet this need, IVY will increase opportunities for on-the-job training.  Simultaneously, workers’ acquisition of new skills increases their marketability on the job market.
  •  Worker Support: In additional to providing temporary employment, IVY facilitates and/or supports program participants in finding or creating new jobs to sustain their income and skills.
  • Local Economy Stimulation: Some of the project participants have contributed to the hosting of 261 morning markets in more than 25 temporary housing sites with 2,736 residents fro June to October 2011.  IVY also purchases items, such as food, locally when possible and holds gatherings to promote communications among victims.

  Local Power for Local Relief Program Grant

  Project Dates: April 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013
  Amount: $455,438

  IVY strongly believes in the power of actions by local residents to be their own cure for issues related to the disaster.   More than one year after the disaster, IVY is continuing existing programs and implementing new initiatives to help people in the devastated region to help themselves.  Currently, the support is focused on the hardest hit areas of Kesennuma and Ishinomaki.

  Direct Relief funds half of IVY’s Baby Home Project and Local NPO Mentorship Program, detailed below:

  • Baby Home Project: IVY is mentoring childcare facility staff and subsidizing their employment cost, using the same model as the successful “Cash for Work” Program.  In the affected region, where it is difficult to find full-time, stable employment, it is increasingly necessary for families with children to have two incomes.  Affordable childcare services are very limited so IVY has chosen to support a new center called TSUBOMI (“blossom bud”).  IVY’s support allows the childcare workers to receive their first income since September 2011, keeps the cost of childcare affordable, and allows the parents of 20 infants to seek or continue employment.
  • Local NPO Mentorship Program: The importance of local residents participating in solving of problems became apparent to IVY during their “Cash for Work” Program, “Locals know the most about local problems, and they are the ones who have solutions for them.”  In order to stimulate localized and sustainable activities, IVY has decided to support newly established local Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs).  Assistance includes instruction on the incorporation of the organization, fundraising, accounting, labor service, and sustainable business planning.  IVY aims for the organizations to be self-sustaining by March 2013.
    • Tree Seed: An organization started by 5 IVY Cash for Work workers who wanted to continue supporting Kesennuma through community center support, food provision for the elderly, volunteer coordination, and more.
    • Ichigo-Ichie: A small company established by 4 IVY Cash for Work workers that assists the elderly and anyone who needs it.
  • Job-Matching Assistance: IVY’s situation analysis has determined that there is a matching gap in people looking for jobs and companies who are hiring.  IVY is continuing to support workers and businesses by consulting, providing information, and providing matching opportunity.
  • Business/Entrepreneurship Seminars: Since December 2011, IVY has been holding business seminars in the affected areas and providing free counseling services.  IVY is collecting business plans and exploring ways to support new ideas.

The post IVY Grant Summary appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has been providing support to AAR JAPAN since March 2011, including significant cash grants to fund earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster relief and recovery efforts.

AAR JAPAN began its relief activities two days after the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan. Funding from Direct Relief was used in the immediate aftermath for the distribution of food and non-food items (NFI), mobile clinic services, soup kitchen services, and operating costs.

AAR JAPAN has been working in over 35 sites in areas most severely affected by the earthquake and tsunami: Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima prefectures.

All relief activities are conducted on official requests and with approvals of local governments. In many areas, telephone communication, electricity, gas, and water systems were still not available more than two months later, especially in Fukushima prefecture where the threat of radiation contamination is leading to back ups of supplies and assistance going into the areas close to the nuclear power plants, and is isolating citizens.

Special attention is paid to persons with disabilities (PWDs), to elderly people, and to the facilities supporting this population because these two groups of people tend to be left out of emergency assistance.

Locations:

• Fukushima Prefecture: Date, Fukushima City, Minamisoma, Nihonmatsu, Soma
• Iwate Prefecture: Hanamaki, Ichinoseki, Kamaishi, Miyako, Ofunato, Otsuchi, Rikuzentakata, Tono, Yamada
• Miyagi Prefecture: Aobaku, Higashimatsushima, Ishinomaki, Iwanuma, Izumi, Kami, Kesennuma, Kurihara, Marumori, Minamisanriku, Miyagino, Natori, Onagawa, Osaki, Shibata, Shichigahama, Shiogama, Shiroishi, Tagajo, Taihaku, Taiwa, Tome, Wakabayashi, Watari

TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTED: $886,755

• Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 1
• Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 2
• Repair of Daycare Center for Persons with Disabilities in Fukushima

Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 1

Project Dates: March 13 to May 16, 2011
Amount: $400,000

AAR JAPAN’s first phase of emergency work included immediate response and the transition to mid-term recovery work. The organization sought to fulfill the needs of the more than 400,000 displaced immediately after the disaster, as well as those victims who remained in homes but did not have access to basic food, supplies, and services. As services were restored to affected areas and the needs  of people affected changed, AAR JAPAN adjusted their programs and expanded the physical reach of their services. During Phase 1, approximately 61,000 people and 513 institutions benefited from AAR JAPAN’s relief efforts.

AAR’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

• Distribution of Food and Non-food items (NFI): Essential items were provided including fruit, rice, milk, vegetables, blankets, clothing, medicine, boots, bicycles, wheelchairs, and hand soap.
• Hot Bath Delivery: For seven weeks, hot water was delivered daily to five facilities in Higashi-Matsushima City and Ishinomaki City, enabling 500 to 600 evacuees to take baths.
• Mobile Clinic: Mobile clinic services were provided to private homes in the six settlements on Oshika Peninsula in Ishinomaki City. Approximately 405 people received medical services during Phase 1.
• Operation of Soup-Kitchen: Approximately 16,650 meals served in 48 facilities in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima. Approximately 16,650 meals served in 48 facilities in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima.
• Provision of Temporary Shelters: Eight temporary shelters were provided to displaced people in Onagawa, Miyagi, with 24 additional planned. AAR is also fielding requests for temporary housing in other areas.
• Repair of Welfare Institutions: Repair of welfare facilities began with the goal of assisting in repair activities of up to 50 facilities by December 2011.
• Shuttle Transportation Services: About 750 people utilized AAR JAPAN’s shuttle services in Oginohama and Ayukawa settlements on the Oshika peninsula, where 90% of the population was displaced. Regular bus services were disrupted since after disaster and many residents had no means of transportation.

Emergency Relief Program Grant – Phase 2

Project Dates: September 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012
Amount: $400,000

AAR JAPAN’s second phase of emergency work addresses the mid- to long-term needs of disaster victims. This includes continued distribution of food and non-food item, repair of welfare facilities, and mobile medical services. Items and services are coordinated to provide comprehensive, multi-dimensional services to those in need. Based on assessment, most of these services will continue into 2012.

AAR’s relief and recovery activities are detailed below:

• Distribution of Food and Non-food items (NFI): Continuation of provision of essential items to the displaced population.
• Mobile Clinic: Continuation of mobile medical services to remote settlements on the Oshika Peninsula, serving a population of approximately 640 people. During Phase 2, services will expand to include physical therapy, occupational therapy, mental health counseling, and community-building activities.
• Operation of Soup-Kitchen: Continued operation of meal service to welfare facilities, evacuation centers, and community centers, easing the burden of meal preparation from evacuees and facility administrators.
• Repair of Welfare Institutions: A wide range of repair and reconstruction projects are being conducted, from repaving walkways to repairing structural building damage. AAR JAPAN aims to assist 50 facilities, serving up to 100 people each, for persons with disabilities and elderly people in the Tohoku region.

Repair of Daycare Center for Persons with Disabilities in Fukushima

Project Dates: September 1, 2012 to January 31, 2013
Amount: $86,755

AAR Japan will assist Morino Kumasan day care center by repairing it’s facility in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture.  The majority of current users are children with autism, ADHD, and other developmental disabilities.  Repair of the facility will give 46 children a safe place to play and socialize.

AAR’s activities are detailed below:

• Repair Work: A local construction company will repair and reinforce the facility, which sustained severe damage from the 9.0-magnitude earthquake on March 11, 2011.  A sunken floor will be lifted, damaged columns replaced, and finish applied.  The damaged room will also be expanded to make room for the increased number of children the facility has been serving as a result of evacuations from the nuclear radiation areas.
• Evaluation: In addition to AAR’s constant monitoring of the repair work, a qualified architectural firm will confirm the quality and safety of the repair work when complete.

The post AAR Japan Grant Summary appeared first on Direct Relief.

One of Direct Relief’s partners, Dr. Monir Shalaby, Medical Director of EXCELth Primary Health Care in New Orleans, reported that EXCELth is primarily working with locals who were evacuated and are returning to their homes. Dr. Shalaby anticipates that tetanus vaccine and flu immunizations will be needed for individuals involved in debris cleanup. EXCELth has been an active Direct Relief partner since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and participates in the Hurricane Prep Pack program.

Isaac, which was weakened to a tropical storm on Thursday, is still dumping heavy rains and bringing excessive flooding along the Northern Gulf Coast. It has been reported that over 975,000 people are without power in Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

In advance of hurricane season Direct Relief equipped 50 clinic partners in hurricane-prone regions of the U.S. with hurricane preparedness packs. Each pack contains enough medicine and medical supplies to treat up to 100 people for three to five days.

Direct Relief’s Hurricane Preparedness program –the largest effort of its kind in the U.S. – is a million-dollar initiative that pre-positions large quantities of medicines and supplies at nonprofit health centers, clinics, and hospitals in at-risk areas to be used during emergencies to treat vulnerable people. The pre-positioning of these medical resources is a key component of Direct Relief’s emergency preparedness efforts and ongoing assistance to partner clinics to facilitate a fast, efficient response when a disaster strikes.

Direct Relief tracks the latest storm activity and every partner receiving a hurricane pack using interactive mapping technology. View map here: https://cloud.directrelief.org/hpp/

Wednesday marked the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, where over 1,800 people died, making it one of the five deadliest hurricanes in United States history.

The post Responding to Isaac and excessive flooding along Gulf Coast appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief’s Hurricane Preparedness Program is the only initiative of its kind, whereby large quantities of medicines and supplies are pre-positioned at community health centers, clinics and hospitals in at-risk areas across in the U.S., and internationally to be used during emergencies to treat vulnerable populations.

Since 2007, Direct Relief has provided emergency medical materials to key healthcare institutions in areas susceptible to hurricanes. Pre-positioning the modules at clinics and hospitals eliminates delivery delays and equips medical professionals with the materials to treat injured patients on-site when a hurricane strikes.

The Hurricane Preparedness Program began in the U.S. Gulf States and has expanded each year to include nine states in the U.S. and seven countries in the Caribbean. The contents of these modules were originally designed as part of Direct Relief’s participation on the Texas Blue Ribbon Commission on Emergency Preparedness and Response following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The modules include medicines and supplies to treat a variety of conditions, from trauma injuries to chronic conditions. Experience and feedback from partners is used to continually improve the contents and packaging of the pack.

In addition to the pre-positioned modules, Direct Relief has readied additional medicines and supplies at it’s headquarters which are ready to be airlifted should healthcare partners request additional resources in response to Hurricane Isaac.

The post Tropical Storm Isaac Threatens Haiti, Dominican Republic appeared first on Direct Relief.

Candy Stockton, Medical Director at Shingleton Medical Center, reports that an estimated 40 to 60 percent of the clinic’s 2,400 patients live in the evacuation areas. The clinic is prepared to evacuate should the fire pose a danger to the facility.

Dr. Stockton, has requested inhalers and other items to treat respiratory problems caused by smoke inhalation and poor air quality. Direct Relief would like to thank Merck & Co., Inc. and AstraZeneca for their support.

Direct Relief has a history of responding to wildfires in the United States, most recently those that burned in Colorado in June. According to the U.S. Forest Service, over 40 large fires are currently active in western states.

The post Northern California Clinic Receives Emergency Shipment as Ponderosa Fire Grows appeared first on Direct Relief.

Government weather agencies predict further rainfall and flooding in Manila and northern provinces as tropical storm Kai-Tak (“Helen”) intensifies. Officials are preparing residents to evacuate or re-evacuate from low-lying areas.

In addition to donating medical goods to support the ongoing needs of healthcare providers, Direct Relief has supported past emergency response efforts in the region. In 2009, Direct Relief donated more than $190,000 (wholesale) in medical aid and $15,000 in cash grants to support victims of Typhoon Ketsana.

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