Thanks to World Vision’s support, children like Jerome, 7, have the opportunity to maintain a level of routine and normalcy, despite the traumatic circumstances facing them.

October 2009

By Karen Rivera, World Vision Communications Specialist

“I miss my books. I lost them in the flood, along with my notebooks and papers,” says 7-year-old Jerome.

Before Typhoon Ketsana struck, Jerome and his sister Jasmin, 11, would pore over books after school. “I teach him to read because he is really interested to learn. We would read children’s stories,” says Jasmin.

But the siblings haven’t had a reading lesson since the storm. The classroom they shared with 30 other students was cleared of books and learning materials to make room for some 600 families who sought temporary shelter.

‘I miss school and my friend…’

Jerome’s family arrived at the evacuation center a day after the flood swept their home away. In the midst of the confusion and panic that ensued with the rising floodwaters, the siblings were unable to secure their belongings. They escaped death by clinging to on to their grandmother, who swam them to safety.

While surviving the flood has been a harrowing experience in itself for the siblings, re-establishing any sense of routine is another challenge entirely.

“I miss school and my friend Wilmar. I don’t know what happened to him. I want to go back to school soon,” says Jerome wistfully.

It could be some time before this first-grader can return to school. But he may be able to resume his reading lessons again soon, thanks to a World Vision Child-Friendly Space at the evacuation center.

Child-Friendly Spaces

As part of World Vision’s disaster response to Typhoon Ketsana, five Child-Friendly Spaces have been established in areas around the Philippines’ capital city of Manila that have borne the brunt of the storm.

Child-Friendly Spaces are safe, structured places where children can play, talk about their experiences, interact with others their own age, and learn basic skills to help them cope with their circumstances following a disaster through games, songs, and dances. World Vision aims to provide psychosocial support to some 1,850 children in typhoon-affected areas to help them regain a sense of routine and normalcy.

When young Jerome arrived at the Child-Friendly Space, his forlorn eyes quickly lit up as another child handed him a colorful poster. Crouched on the ground, the boy quickly focused on the page and painstakingly read some literature about children’s rights.

As he saw his sister Jasmin heading his way, Jerome rose and showed her the poster. In a corner, they found a quiet spot and settled in to read together.

A concerted relief response

Meanwhile, World Vision is seeking additional funding to provide continued assistance to children, families, and communities devastated by Typhoon Ketsana, which made landfall in Manila in late September, and Typhoon Parma, which struck the northern reaches of the Philippines early this month. Our initial response focused on distribution of basic essentials to help children and families survive as the storm blew through. Over the next 90 days, our teams plan to help affected communities recover through provision of food aid, clean water, medical supplies, and educational and emotional support for children. As of October 7, an estimated 4 million people were affected by Typhoon Ketsana, with nearly 40,000 homes damaged; Typhoon Parma has affected some 620,000.