URGENT: Help Us Respond to Emergencies in the Philippines, India and Zimbabwe Right Now
In recent months, several of the communities we serve have been hit with natural disasters, and we are working actively with our global member network to respond. The Philippines is facing the aftermath of extreme flooding caused by Typhoon Carina, India has experienced devastating floods and landslides, and Zimbabwe is in the midst of a severe drought as a result of El Niño conditions. Across these crises, millions of people have been affected and are in need of critical aid.
We are acting fast to respond and support those in need. Alongside our global member offices in the Philippines, India and Italy, and with global partners, we are providing critical food and other assistance to people in the Philippines, India and Zimbabwe — and we need your help. Keep reading to learn more about our current emergency response efforts and how you can support people affected by these crises and more!
Providing Meals to Those Affected by Flooding in the Philippines
Typhoon Carina brought a deluge of heavy rain to the Philippines in late July. Already experiencing monsoon rains during this time of year, the typhoon resulted in major flooding and landslides in the country’s capital city of Manila and largest island of Luzon. More than 770,000 people have been impacted. Displaced from their homes, hundreds of thousands of people are in critical need of food, water and shelter.
Rise Against Hunger is responding right now to address immediate needs. Our team in the Philippines is going to barangays (a Filipino term similar to neighborhoods or boroughs) to provide essential items to those affected. We have distributed food and other aid, including hot meals, Rise Against Hunger meals, water bottles, shampoo packs, canned goods and more, and we will continue to provide assistance as families and communities recover from this disaster.
Distributing Critical Supplies After Landslides in India
On July 30, India’s Kerala state, located in the southern part of the country, was hit with five times the normal amount of rain. This caused two consecutive landslides to occur in the middle of the night while many families were sleeping. The landslides washed away villages and swept away homes, leaving around 200 people dead and 130 people still missing. In addition, over 5,500 had to be evacuated as heavy rains and possible risk of more landslides continued.
We are responding to distribute relief kits to those affected by what The Guardian is calling one of the area’s “worst disasters in years.” Rise Against Hunger India is distributing food and other essential items, including water, first aid, utensils & cutlery, cleaning supplies and hygiene kits, to people affected.
Supplying Emergency Meals As Zimbabwe Faces a Major Drought
In Zimbabwe, Rise Against Hunger is partnering with ADRA Zimbabwe to provide urgent assistance to people impacted by a severe drought. Lack of rainfall from El Niño conditions has decimated crops and crushed harvests, leading to food shortages and increased rates of acute hunger. Across Southern Africa, the drought has left 5 million people in need of critical support and Zimbabwe recently declared a national emergency.
Rise Against Hunger has partnered with ADRA Zimbabwe since 2017. From 2017-2019, we worked to address the impacts of the El Niño drought of 2016, and we expanded in 2019 to implement the Planting Seeds for Strong Communities project to support long-term food security in Gokwe North, Zimbabwe. As the country faces a major El Niño drought again, our work with ADRA Zimbabwe continues to adapt to address the urgent needs. Rise Against Hunger U.S. and Rise Against Hunger Italia are working together to provide 2.3 million emergency meals for people affected by this crisis.
How You Can Help
Your support makes this relief work possible. During difficult times of crisis, we are committed to working with in-country partners and responding on the ground to provide communities with critical meals and supplies when it is needed most. Give now to Rise Against Hunger’s Global Emergency Relief Fund to raise funds for these emergency response efforts, and our crisis relief efforts around the globe.