Embracing the World dedicates $1 Million US in aid to Philippines

November 24, 2013

In the wake of the massive destruction caused by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, Embracing the World has announced a $1 million relief package.

The typhoon, considered the most powerful storm to ever make landfall, battered the Philippines with sustained winds close to 320 kilometers per hour. Thirteen million people have been affected, four million of them displaced, and one million homes have been destroyed. Meanwhile, 2.5 million individuals now rely on food aid. The current reported number of deaths and missing persons is already over 6,000 and the number is growing daily. The storm caused mudslides, 30-foot-high storm surges, as well as flash flooding.

In announcing the relief package, Amma said, “I was greatly distressed to hear about this devastation, which took the lives of so many innocent people in the Philippines, and which added an immense burden to those who were already living in poverty. In a fateful moment, the storm snatched away the dreams and hopes of hundreds of thousands of others who survived the initial disaster. During this time of immense agony and sorrow, Amma’s heart goes to those who have endured this tragedy and prays for their peace and mental strength. She also offers her prayers to the departed souls.”

The $1 million relief package will come from Mata Amritanandamayi Center (MA Center) in California. Embracing the World has initiated discussions with the local government and relief coordinators in the hard-hit Tacloban City about the survivors’ needs and the best way to implement these funds.

Click here to read the report from our relief team's initial visit to Tacloban City.