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A month after Typhon Haiyan made landfall in the Philippines, widespread destruction remains, but signs of hope — reopened schools, relief distributions, and even a Christmas tree — abound.
©2013 Lanelyn Carillo/World Vision
One sign of hope in Ormoc — several schools have reopened, with help from World Vision. Here, teachers lead students in prayer and the pledge of allegiance to the Filipino flag before class begins.
©2013 Florence Joy Maluyo/World Vision
With a long walk ahead of them through a mountainous area, the Formilo family carries relief goods they received at a World Vision distribution in Bingawan, Iloilo state, Philippines.
©2013 Charlotte Green/World Vision
In Cebu, Philippines, other families like this one — clients in World Vision's microfinance program — lost their homes and livelihoods. Four weeks after Typhoon Haiyan made landfall, they're struggling to recover.
©2013 Lanelyn Carillo/World Vision
Avelina Barcinar, 83, lost her home when Typhoon Haiyan blew through Hacienda, her village in Leyte province, Philippines. The storm devastated this area and severely damaged the sugarcane harvest, putting many local families out of work and, consequently, without food. World Vision teams recently distributed relief supplies to families in Hacienda and nearby villages.
©2013 Orlando Ducay Jr./World Vision
To help affected families in Ormoc, World Vision has held multiple relief distributions and served more than 2,300 families with hygiene kids, food, and nonfood items. World Vision's larger response in Ormoc includes 5,200 families in nine barangays (small administrative divisions).
©2013 Lanelyn Carillo/World Vision
Like many places in the Philippines, Ormoc City, located in hard-hit Leyte province, still lacks electricity. As a prosperous port city, Ormoc City usually bustles with economic activity day and night; now, mornings remain busy, but the city shuts down at dusk.
©2013 Lanelyn Carillo/World Vision
Best friends Mary and Jae Ann, both 9, are excited to see each other after three weeks of class suspension due to Typhoon Haiyan. Their school in Ormoc City recently reopened, to the delight of its students and their parents.
©2013 Hasanthi Jayamaha/World Vision
Other schools were so badly damaged that they've yet to restart classes. "When I came to school a few days [after the typhoon], I felt so sad to see it without roof and all our school books have got wet," says 7-year-old Riya (third from right). She and other second-grade classmates collected their soaked schoolbooks and laid them out to dry.
©2013 Hasanthi Jayamaha/World Vision
For children whose schools haven't resumed classes, World Vision has opened several Child-Friendly Spaces — with plans for 40 total — where kids and parents can come play, learn, and recover in a safe environment.
©2013 Hasanthi Jayamaha/World Vision
Holding her son, Dennis, 20 months old, Racquel Puyos sits outside the Child-Friendly Space for women and young children at Tabugon, northern Cebu. Her other two children, Emmanuel, 4, and Abigail, 3, enjoy playing at the Child-Friendly Space — though "at first they didn't want to go into the tent. But when they saw boys and girls playing with the toys, they were excited to join," says Racquel.
©2013 Annila Harris/World Vision
At the World Vision Child-Friendly Space in San Antonio, Ormoc, children created their very own wish boats, writing wishes on paper and folding them into boats. "We ask the children to take their wish boat and release it in the Bagongbong River. This symbolizes life and hope. It is way of sending off the children’s prayers after Typhoon Haiyan," says Celerina, Principal of San Antonio Elementary school.
©2013 Annila Harris/World Vision
A child places his wish boat in the Bagongbong River near San Antonio, Ormoc. Constructed at the Child-Friendly Space nearby, the wish boats are a tool to enable children affected by Typhoon Haiyan to express themselves through art.
©2013 Florence Joy Maluyo/World Vision
In Batan, Aklan province, sponsored child Joevan and his siblings are excited about Christmas. Their house sustained damage to its roof but was otherwise left intact — but the neighbors, who are relatives, lost their homes. The families repaired the roof, and now all four families share Joevan's home. "When I saw that the Christmas decorations can still be used, I washed them all," says Ana, Joevan's mother. "I don't want us to give up, and so I put these back to remind us that there are still a lot of things to be grateful for. We thank God that we're all alive, and that is enough reason to celebrate Christmas. We're moving on."
©2013 Florence Joy Maluyo/World Vision
One month after Typhoon Haiyan, Remelyn, 21 (right), and her husband are adjusting to life with a newborn. Their daughter, Princess Yola, was born during the typhoon as her parents took shelter in a mausoleum. Remelyn named Princess Yola after the typhoon's local name, Yolanda.
