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“In terms of emergency relief, World
Vision Taiwan has been cooperating
with the TaiwanICDF for more than 13
years, mostly distributing materials
and providing grants,” says Mars
Hu, a team leader with World Vision
Taiwan’s International Programs
Group. “When Typhoon Haiyan hit
the Philippines at the end of last year
[2013], besides providing financial
grants, the TaiwanICDF also played a
partnership role, dispatching a specialist
volunteer to assist in the reconstruction
and development of affected areas. It’s
really shown us a different side to your
ambitions!”
Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines on
November 8, 2013, causing in its wake
outbreaks of infectious diseases such as
acute respiratory disease, diarrhea and
skin conditions in areas such as Leyte
Province. The majority of basic health
centers were damaged by the typhoon,
resulting in a shortage of health care-
related human resources, medicines
and medical equipment, and a shortfall
in suitable health services for victims in
affected areas. Conditions were all the
more critical for vulnerable groups such
as women and infants.
TaiwanICDF Funding and Human
Resources Brings Professionalism
And Rigor to Management
Processes
To resolve this problem, World Vision
Taiwan raised funding and pledged
US$1 million toward a restoration fund
for 18 village health centers in Leyte
Province. Assistance for medical
equipment such as instruments and
medicine, as well as personnel training,
would be provided by the TaiwanICDF.
In June 2014 the two organizations
signed for a joint project – Assisting the
Recovery of Typhoon Haiyan-affected
Health Centers, Leyte Province –
designed to restore local health services
and provide survivors with essential
medical care.
Mars says that the TaiwanICDF not
only pledged to invest US$200,000 to
support the recruitment and training of
health care personnel scattered by the
typhoon, so that such personnel could
prepare anew for the rapid provision
of health services, but also provided
new supplies and instruments such as
weighing scales and basic medicines,
as well as printing and distributing health
education and promotion materials
so as to enhance health education in
affected areas. Furthermore, he adds,
the TaiwanICDF also provided advice
on project concepts, and the project’s
design and monitoring framework in
particular, with consistent negotiations
and discussions on the implementation
of the project allowing the two
organizations to form a comprehensive
and professional project.
In addition, the massive scope of the
damage caused by Typhoon Haiyan
drew the attention of the international
media, and with the TaiwanICDF
having dispatched a volunteer with
a background in nursing and public
health to provide services in affected
communities, Taiwan’s efforts and
contribution not only received praise
from Philippine authorities, but also
allowed the media to witness Taiwan’s
contributions in aiding the Philippines.
World Vision Taiwan’s personnel in the
Philippines were also highly grateful
for the performance of the TaiwanICDF
volunteer in affected areas.
The project component sponsored
by the TaiwanICDF was completed at
the end of September. Reviewing the
process, Mars says that World Vision
Taiwan is proud to be one of a few
domestic NGOs to be cooperating
with the TaiwanICDF, witnessing the
transformation of the TaiwanICDF from
a donor to a partner, and facilitating
the chance to cooperate with large
international organizations. He says
he hopes to cooperate on further long-
term cooperative projects in the future,
and hopes for more communication and
discussion in the field of public health.
Mars Hu, Team Leader, World Vision Taiwan
Becoming a Partner of Emergency Aid from
The Perspective of Reconstruction and
Development
Interview
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