Six months after Typhoon Haiyan ravaged the Philippines, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is rebuilding schools, deploying local disaster risk reduction planning, and enabling fisherman to return to work as part of the organization’s efforts to help rehabilitate the island nation after thousands were killed and tens of thousands displaced. Working in collaboration with the Jewish Association of the Philippines as well as local Filipino, Israeli, and other global NGO partners, JDC has invested $900,000 of nearly $2.2 million it raised from the Jewish Federations of North America and tens of thousands of individual donors for emergency relief and rebuilding efforts.

JDC is also helping local communities impacted by the Typhoon better prepare for disasters by providing disaster risk reduction workshops that assess risks and help local governments develop appropriate protocol.

JDC’s immediate response to Typhoon Haiyan included the shipping and distributing of food, shelter, hygiene, and medical supplies and the provision of clean water and emergency aid for children. JDC also partnered with the IDF Field Hospital, providing important medical equipment and supplies. JDC’s work in the Philippines is carried out in collaboration with its partners including the IDF Field Hospital, Afya Foundation, Catholic Relief Services, UNICEF, Magen David Adom (MDA), the International Medical Corps (IMC) the Israeli Trauma Coalition, the International Institute for Rural Reconstruction, the Center for Disaster Preparedness, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation (RAFI), Balay Mindanaw, AGAPP, and Negrenese Volunteers for Change.