A boy sits on a pile of debris in Estancia in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan
18 November 2013
For immediate release
New Zealand aid reaches those in most need in Tacloban
More than 100 tonnes of new Save the Children aid items and essential kits started to arrive in Tacloban over the
weekend.
Arriving by barge and lorries, the aid included items bought by $75,000 donated through Save the Children New Zealand.
Save the Children Chief Executive for New Zealand, Heather Hayden, said they had been pleased by the speedy response of
many New Zealanders to the crisis and that it was hugely gratifying to see the aid get though to people most in need.
“The supplies that arrived in the Philippines yesterday include water sanitation equipment, 20 tonnes of vital medicine
and newborn kits, and essential household kits.
“It is expected 3.9 million children have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan and Save the Children is on the ground and
working around the clock in some of the worst effected areas.
“In the coming weeks we hope to reach more than 500,000 people,” she said.
On Saturday Save the Children distributed blankets, family hygiene kits and household kits to 280 families living in
incredibly close quarters in a former school in Tacloban.
There are seven families crammed into every classroom, with children sleeping on desks and without access to electricity
or running water. With the risk of disease high, vital hygiene kits were distributed while Save the Children volunteers
also provided important health advice.
A barge carrying more than 25 tonnes of aid items arrived in Tacloban on Sunday afternoon. On Sunday morning a flight
carrying 95 tonnes of aid including Save the Children’s newborn kits, and water and sanitation equipment, took off from
the United Kingdom for the Philippines.
Another relief flight carrying vital aid, including equipment for Save the Children to provide over 310,000 litres of
safe drinking water, will depart London for Cebu in the Philippines within the next 24 hours.
Save the Children is setting up six mobile health clinics in Tacloban, which are expected to become operational with
care by tomorrow.
-Ends-
Save the Children aid delivery