201411.17

Helping Yolanda survivors start anew

The students of Marasbaras Elementary School have their own sad stories to tell about Typhoon Yolanda but the new school building donated by Coca-Cola Foundation/Coke Atlanta in partnership with Philippine Business for Social Progress gives them something to look forward to each day.

It has been a year since Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), one of the strongest tropical cyclones to hit the country, reduced to wasteland the towns in Leyte and Eastern Samar, claiming thousands of lives, and washing out homes, schools, properties, and livelihood.

While the people have started to rebuild their lives with whatever little resources they have, many are still reeling from the trauma and loss of their loved ones.

But for the school communities being assisted by Philippine Business for Social Progress and its member-companies, partners, and donors, the reconstruction of their classrooms, provision of learning/teaching kits for students and teachers, supplemental feeding, and capacity building trainings are giving them something to look forward to each day – the promise of a better tomorrow through education.