Typhoons, torrential rain, floods... July was marked by a series of extreme weather events in the Philippines, plunging the archipelago and its inhabitants into disaster. Present in the country since 1985, HI mobilised from the outset to support communities affected by the considerable damage caused by Typhoon Wipha and storms Co-may and Francisco. Tintin is 26 years old and a member of the Agta community in Porac, in the province of Pampanga in the Philippines. After several particularly difficult weeks, the young woman explains how the support provided by HI enabled her and her family to rebuild their lives.
Surviving and waiting for the waters to recede
I will remember this July forever. I come from an indigenous people. We are used to life in the mountains and to disasters striking, but no one can get used to the violence and destruction caused by typhoons... Especially when our survival depends on seasonal harvests.
For a month, we endured relentless torrential rains and flooding. Everything we hoped to harvest was destroyed. My husband is a farmer; he grows bananas and edible roots in the highlands. Usually, the meagre income we earn from selling these crops allows us to provide for our family: food, school fees for the children, basic household items... Now, just to have enough to eat, my husband delivered taro to certain houses so that the families would give us a kilo of rice in exchange. On other days, we had to rely on our neighbours and relatives to get enough food. My heart broke when I saw my children; we had no choice but to eat rice only once a day. When there was no more, we survived on leftover bananas and roots... Some days, my children cried and begged for food. Life is hard, but giving up is not an option; we have to work hard if we want to eat.
In addition to hunger, we also suffered from the cold and damp. The nights were very uncomfortable, and we had trouble resting. Our roof had so many holes that my husband and I slept sitting up for weeks so that our children could sleep in the only corner that remained dry. We hoped that they would be able to rest as well as possible despite the conditions inside our home.
Regaining hope and looking to the future for her family
When the rain finally stopped, I was distraught. My husband was just recovering from the loss of his harvest, and I didn't know where to start. We had no money to support ourselves and our children, no food, nothing to wash ourselves, clean the house or our dirty clothes, or send the children back to school...
After a few days, we met HI. The teams provided us with financial assistance to help us recover from the disaster. I finally had money to buy rice! My children could finally eat three meals a day and I was able to buy packets of nappies for the first time. I was delighted! Before, I could only buy them one at a time and had to reuse them, which caused my baby to develop rashes. This gave me hope again. Thanks to this blessing, I became more optimistic. I know that there is more to life than hardship.
Today, I am continuing my education through an adult learning programme. I became a mother at the age of 13 and have three children. Looking back, I admit that I did not realise how difficult family life would be. If I could turn back time, I would definitely prioritise education. My dream is to finish my studies and find a stable job. As long as I am alive, I know there is hope. I just have to have faith and work hard. Giving up leads nowhere. I want my children to follow a different path from mine. I want to be their inspiration, a mother who, despite having children at a very young age, managed to finish her studies.
