Philippines Relief : Help raise funds for ENCA
Trip Start
Mar 21, 2006
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55
Trip End
Oct 05, 2008
Denver, Colorado
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
I am happy to report that the Cosalan Family (my host family in the Philippines) are safe and sound from the recent typhoon that hit the Northern Philippines, Benguet Province and specifically the Municipality of Tublay that I lived in.
The news to report about ENCA Farm is not nearly as good. The river overflowed, demolishing the property down by the river and the paco (fern) planted as you hike up to the main house area of the farm is completely under the mud. Auntie Marilyn (Manager of ENCA and my host Aunt) used the words that ENCA is devastated and back to zero. Additionally the Barangay of Santo Nino, which is located up-stream from the farm, has been demolished. This is where the mine was years ago and sadly due to the lack of vegetation and open pit mining practiced there the entire community is under the mud.
All of you that followed my blog closely during my time in the Peace Corps know how important ENCA Farm is to me, the Cosalan Family and the community of Tublay. Over the last five years the Cosalans, myself, and many of you, have poured time and money into the farm and it is so sad to think that much of it is back at square one.
While this is all devastating news there is something we can all do.
A few of our past WWOOFer Volunteers have mentioned doing some fundraising and getting the money to the Cosalan Family and I think this is a wonderful idea.
Working with Ian Kennelly a WWOOFer who spent time at ENCA last fall we have started an online donation site to help raise money to send to the Cosalans for the re-building and recovery effort not only at ENCA Farm but also in the Municipality of Tublay as a whole.
Please follow the link below and any size contribution you can make will be very appreciated and well used.
http://philippinesdisasterrelief.chipin.com/philippines-disaster-relief
Please take a look at the following article. It paints a poignant image of the destruction:
http://www.earthlingorgeous.com/2009/10/typhoon-pepeng-destroys-northern-luzon.html
If any of you do not feel comfortable making an online donation you can send checks to me and I will make sure the money is compiled and reaches the Cosalan Family.
Send Checks to: Sherry Manning
2085 South Josephine St. Apt. #1
Denver, CO 80210
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions and on-behalf of ENCA Farm we thank you all for your support.
Sherry Manning
