ORMOC CITY- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 25,000 families affected by supertyphoon Yolanda were assisted by them for the past six months now. There were 190,000 families in western Leyte, consisting of 16 towns and the cities of Baybay and Ormoc, which were affected by Yolanda that resulted to the destruction of their houses. Giano Libot, communication with communities officer for Western Leyte, disclosed that the IOM handed out non- food items (NFI) namely: solar lamp – 1,600 units; school bags with hygiene materials – 2,546 school children; hygiene kits – 2,500 families; kitchen sets – 1,067 families; mat and blanket – 15,008 families and NFIs from Rotary of Burwood-Austrialia – 494 families. IOM also distributed repair shelter kits (RSK), emergency shelter, shelter recovery and disaster-risk reduction (DRR) and carpentry trainings. “To date, IOM has given out emergency shelters which consisted of tarpaulin, fixing tools to 13,102 families across 14 municipalities, 42,262 RSK and DRR training to over 9 municipalities”, it said. The IOM Ormoc hub had also conducted camp management and camp coordination training to local government units’ representatives for women organizations and non-government organization (NGOs) in 16 municipalities and two cities in western Leyte in relation to its “keep them safe” campaign. Awareness campaigns battling human trafficking among displaced communities especially at the bunkhouses were likewise conducted being one of IOM’s core programs. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
