Last July, we talked about how ADRA and the Adventist Church came together to mitigate some of the negative impacts brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, through the Stronger Together and the Stronger Together Plus Projects.
Today, we would like to take a deeper look into Stronger Together PLUS. December 2019, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the island of Mindanao, particularly the Davao Region. And on March 2020, another crisis shocked the whole world, the Covid 19 Pandemic.
The pandemic caused:
1. 8.7 million Filipinos lost their jobs, at the height of the lockdowns.
2. Medical front liners to run out of personal protective equipment, disinfectants, and other essential medical supplies
3. The lockdowns caused many to live in isolation and trauma, which resulted in chronic stress, fear, and anxiety.
But true to its commitment to serve humanity so all may live as God, ADRA, in partnership with the South Philippines Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Hope Channel, Latter Day Saints Charities, and Local Government Unit of Matanao, Davao del Sur… formed a breakthrough emergency response project called, Stronger Together PLUS – Providing Life Changing and United Support against COVID19.
The project tackled the livelihood problem by organizing capacity-building income-generating activities focused on vegetable farming and goat dispersal for 300 families in Matanao, Davao del Sur.
The project also addressed the lack of sufficient supplies for frontliners by providing PPE’s and other medical supplies to 22 Health Facilities all over Mindanao.
Psychological first aid trainings were provided to 400 local health staff, church volunteers, and teachers to equip them to provide assistance to those suffering from the chronic stress, fear, and trauma caused by the lockdowns. 1,000 adult and children from 8 missions all over Mindanao received Psychosocial Support kits.
Through the Stronger Together PLUS program that was broadcasting once a week on Hope Channel South Philippines on Television, Radio, & Facebook, the project fought off misconceptions about covid19, its vaccines, gender-Based Violence, and health. Important conversations were opened about these “taboo” topics and comments from viewers were read live to include them in the conversation. The Stronger Together PLUS project may have ended, but ADRA is proud of the partnerships formed and new channels opened. This project showed that, indeed, the best way to beat the pandemic is in uniting and working together.
Congratulations to the team for Providing Life Changing and United Support against COVID19!
We look forward to more partnership projects in the future where the world can see that we are “Stronger Together”!