In the wake of the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, access to drinking water has become a major challenge for tens of thousands of people. Existing infrastructures have been destroyed and the sanitary conditions are appalling. In response, Handicap International is bringing 50 water filtration pumps to its base in Cebu, which is at the heart of the worst-affected region.
Each water pump can filter up to 80 gallons of water an hour. Hand-operated, the pumps are designed to be used in remote rural settings and in emergencies where electricity and fuel are unavailable.
"With 50 pumps we will be able to provide safe drinking water to more than 50,000 people every day," says Hélène Robin, Handicap International’s Head of Emergency Response for the Philippines. "This will bring immediate relief to communities which have been without clean water since the Typhoon struck on November 8."
More than five tons of additional equipment is on its way to the Philippines. With these resources, teams will be to set up mobile clinics where the injured and people with disabilities can receive basic health care and a fixed rehabilitation center where more specialized services will be available. At the center, staff will provide physical therapy and mobility devices such as crutches, walking frames, and orthoses. This will give the injured the care they need to begin recovering.