In times of hardship and disaster, the power of human connection and compassion shines brightest. We are proud to share the inspiring story of how the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, with the generous support of a $500,000 grant from the Angel Protocol Endowment, has brought hope and renewal to communities devastated by Super Typhoon Rai/Odette in the Philippines.
Our community of Angel Giving donors, united by a shared mission to democratize access to financial opportunity, has demonstrated the incredible impact of collective action. As you read through this article, you’ll learn about the remarkable relief and recovery efforts carried out by the Yellow Boat of Hope team and their tireless volunteers, the “Hope Paddlers.”
Super Typhoon Rai, locally referred to as “Odette”, was the fifteenth storm to hit the Philippines and the strongest in 2021, making nine landfalls on 16–17 December 2021 and causing a local humanitarian crisis with over 2.4M people affected.
Angel Giving allocated $500K in funding from the Angel Protocol Endowment via Angel Protocol
Validator proceeds for humanitarian relief through Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation to maintain a constant
presence and provide continued support to meet the long-term needs of the Yellow Boat of Hope adopted
communities in Bohol, Cebu, Palawan, and Surigao del Norte.
The funds were allocated over a three year period, with half being made available immediately for ‘Relief’ operations and half allocated over the following years for ‘Recovery’ – getting communities back on their feet and preparing for the future.
The Highlights:
- ~8,000 families helped
- 42 boats replaced
- 7 classrooms repaired
- 6 new educational hubs provided
- 4 schools provided with other equipment.
Relief Operations Summary
Angel Giving allotted 4.2 million Philippine Peso (₱) to relief operations in Super Typhoon Odette-affected areas of Bohol, Cebu, Palawan, and Surigao del Norte. Relief goods distributed were based on the needs assessment of the area’s ‘Lead Implementer’.
Relief items included (but were not limited to) packed rice, medicine, sanitary items, grocery items, and water.
Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation spent a total of ₱4,144,860 for relief operations given to 7,805 beneficiary families in 21 communities. Distribution spanned from April to August 2022.
One of the main challenges faced were the strict COVID-19 restrictions between the islands of Cebu. During the summer of 2022, COVID-19 cases in the group of island spiked regularly, and some of the Hope Paddlers (volunteers) would become close contacts of people diagnosed with COVID-19, hence leading to several postponements of relief distribution.
Another challenge faced was the unfavorable weather conditions come June 2022. During these times, although the relief goods were already ready for distribution, Hope Paddlers would have to postpone their trips crossing the sea for safety.
Recovery Projects Summary
Aside from relief, Angel Giving allotted a total of ₱13.3M for various recovery and rehabilitation projects to the 4 selected areas.
This includes:
- the repair and replacement of Yellow School Boats and Adopt-a-Fisherman boats(₱6.3M)
- repair of classrooms (₱3M)
- replacement of computers, copiers, and printers (₱1.4M)
- provision of scholarships (₱1.15M)
- provision of Educational Hubs (₱1.25M),
- distribution of Seeds of Hope (₱200K).
As of February 13, 2023, Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation has disbursed ₱3,668,156.80 for:
- boat replacements
- classroom repair
- provision of water tanks and other classroom equipment
- provision of Educational Hubs.
Boats! School boats and Fishing boats
The challenges of the relief phase continued!
One of the main challenges encountered particularly for the boat building projects is the price hike of most materials and transportation costs during the 2nd to 3rd quarter of 2022, due to the oil price hike brought about by the war in Ukraine.
Similar to the challenges encountered to the relief distribution, unfavorable weather conditions also caused delays to transportation of materials for classroom repair in Alcoba island. Because of this, it became difficult for the Hope Paddlers assigned to the area to schedule their availability coinciding with good weather.
Classroom repairs and equipment
Ongoing classroom projects
The recovery projects continue to reap the benefits of the donations. These are projects slated for completion in 2023/24
- Repair of 1 classroom and 1 comfort room in
Alcoba Elementary School, Magsaysay, Palawan - Construction of 20 tables and purchase of 70
chairs for classrooms in Lasala Elementary
School, Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte - Installation of grill doors for 1 classroom in
Lasala Elementary School, Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte
Educational Hubs
Reflections:
As we reflect on the incredible achievements of the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, we are filled with immense gratitude for our community of donors who made this life-changing support possible. The story of resilience and rebuilding in the wake of Super Typhoon Rai is a testament to the power of collaboration, compassion, and determination.
We are inspired by the unwavering spirit of the communities who have overcome adversity, and we are honored to play a small part in their journey towards a brighter future. Together, we have shown that when we pool our resources and unite behind a common cause, we can make a profound impact in the lives of those in need. Thank you for your support, and let us continue to empower communities and change lives, one yellow boat at a time.
Funds donated through the Angel Alliance, through the validator income and via Angel Protocol (now Angel Giving) provided immediate relief and ongoing support. These are funds that are making a difference every day.
If you wish to read the full report (69 pages and 142Mb) download here.
The work enabled by the donations the community made, continues. The videos below are just a small reminder of how every donation changes lives. Every day!
If you want to give more – just visit Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation’s donation page here. You KNOW it will be used well.
Videos:
- Supertyphoon Odette – The context: An outline of the problem and of the History of Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation.
- Give once – Give forever: Announcing the partnership between Yellow Boat and Angel Protocol/Giving
- Lasala Integrated School: How one of the institutions affected has been helped by donations.
- How many have been helped? See the figures, the impact, the solutions and hear from families that benefitted.
Thank you!
We would also like to take a moment to extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated project team of the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, whose unwavering commitment and hard work have made a tangible difference in the lives of countless individuals. Dr. Anton Mari Lim, Mr. Jay Michael Jaboneta, Ms. Patricia Diana Ayo, Ms. Jennifer Rose Paat, Mr. Rainiel Eric Viray, Ms. Dalareich Polot, Mr. Arnulfo Pierra Jr., Ms. Haydee Sijera, Ms. May Sheila Agad, and Mr. Pastor Tiu – your passion, expertise, and tireless efforts have been the driving force behind this impactful initiative.
Through your hands-on involvement and collaboration, you have transformed the generous donations from our community into concrete relief and recovery projects, providing much-needed hope and support to the communities affected by Super Typhoon Rai. We are grateful for your service and honored to have had the opportunity to work alongside such a remarkable team. Thank you for making a difference and for showing us the true meaning of hope in action.