The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
People facing two emergencies
In recent weeks we have all faced difficulty, uncertainty and, at times, fear. During this dreadful pandemic, Rotarians have been at the forefront of volunteering in the local community and financially supporting local charities.
We are, however, mindful of the dire situation faced by people living in other parts of the world; those who do not have an understanding government or the support of our wonderful NHS.
For those with little income and those displaced by violence in their homeland matters are even more frightening.
My Rotary club (Peterborough Ortons) has donated £500 to our charity partner, the Purple Community Fund (PCF), which is supporting families living on rubbish dumps in the Philippines.
Huntingdon Cromwell Rotary sent a further £250 to help PCF. In addition to their usual problems, a devastating fire has swept through the heart of their community in Tondo. Families have lost all their possessions, food and clothes. This has affected 1,055 families in the community, a staggering 4,115 individuals, including 1,843 children.
PCF staff opened their centres for the families, giving some a place to stay (see photo).
Their community kitchen was opened up with the help of volunteers in the area to feed the children and their families three meals a day. This is the worst possible timing. With coronavirus a threat, families are not able to practice social distancing as the need for shelter and food presents a greater problem. These people now face two emergency situations. Visit their website www.p-c-f.org for more information or to donate.
When the Covid-19 pandemic ends, you could help them by treating yourself to a fabulous purse, handbag or item of jewellery that they make using ring pulls from aluminium drinks cans (see photo).
Rotary’s other partner organisation, ShelterBox, fears coronavirus will spread through and devastate overcrowded displacement camps. Here, people already having faced violence and, fearing for their lives, forced to flee their homes, now have very limited access to healthcare.
In densely populated Wuhan, China, there are 6,000 people per sq km . Compare this with the Rohinghya refugee camp in Bangladesh where there are a staggering 40,000 people per sq km . There have already been confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Syria.
ShelterBox is supporting these families by sending out soap and handbasins in addition to providing them with shelter and essential items. Please try to help Rotary support families further afield who are trying to stay safe just like you and me. Donate at www.shelterbox.org