{"id":8930,"date":"2020-05-08T10:55:44","date_gmt":"2020-05-08T16:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gophilanthropic.org\/?p=8930"},"modified":"2020-07-07T14:36:25","modified_gmt":"2020-07-07T20:36:25","slug":"southeast-asia-partners-gather-in-solidarity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gophilanthropic.org\/southeast-asia-partners-gather-in-solidarity\/","title":{"rendered":"Southeast Asia Partners Gather in Solidarity"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Corinne Yank, GoPhil Communications Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

GoPhil partners in Southeast Asia recently gathered for a virtual regional network meeting. During the call, they shared their successes and struggles and offered much-needed support and solidarity to one another.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Although conditions, restrictions and challenges vary from country to country, one message rang clear from all GoPhil partners: <\/span>the economic crisis is more imperative than the health crisis<\/b> for the communities they partner with right now. While most shared that no cases of the virus have been reported locally, they\u2019ve seen a vast number of families who\u2019ve lost their daily wages and are unable to meet their basic needs. And even as restrictions begin to loosen in some countries, they know that the growing economic crisis will be disastrous and long-felt.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Widespread Need for Emergency Relief<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In the last few weeks, <\/span>all GoPhil partners in Southeast Asia have taken up some form of emergency relief work to help families meet their most basic needs<\/b>. Access to food has been (and continues to be) their primary concern. With unusually dry weather across Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, agricultural problems have exacerbated this issue. Although in some cases the governments are trying to provide some limited support to families in extreme poverty, much more is needed — and GoPhil partners are trying to work together to hold their governments accountable and ensure the families they work with can access any available support.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past few weeks:<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC)<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0conducted a needs assessment for 70 families of their students and have started providing emergency support to 12 families most at-risk of starvation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Free To Shine<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0provided initial emergency food packages to help 15 families get through the next three months.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

HUSK Cambodia<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0provided emergency food support to the women on their Softies Program who are currently out of work.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Children\u2019s Education Foundation (CEF)<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0provided emergency stipends to the most vulnerable families on their program, and have now started to give more long-term support to 32 families to help them through the next three months.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

PEPY Empowering Youth<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0has been supporting their students and former students whose families are struggling. They are now working on identifying wider members of the community at risk of starvation. They are planning to establish a larger food aid program in partnership with other local NGOs.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Blue Dragon Children\u2019s Foundation<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is working with the local government to identify families in need and ensure they receive support. They are also preparing for a huge rescue and rehabilitation effort, now that the Vietnam-China border is opening up again, as they are in touch with many women who have been trafficked there and are in need of urgent support.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Laos Educational Opportunities Trust (LEOT)<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0is expecting to receive requests for emergency aid soon as food shortages hit Laos. In addition to food relief, LEOT is dealing with one urgent health crisis: one of the families they support has two children who require regular blood transfusions and there is a blood shortage.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Thanks to the quick and generous response of GoPhil donors and supporters, many of these emergency relief efforts have been supported in part by GoPhil\u2019s Rapid Response Fund.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>