Disaster Response Taiwan Project #45003

Global Disaster Reduction and Relief

by The Mustard Seed Mission

Project Report | Jul 11, 2024
Healing Hualien: MSM's Path to Recovery

By Denny Chou | Supervisor, International Mktg Resource Centre

On April 3, 2024, Hualien, Taiwan, experienced a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake that shook the community to its core. Amid the chaos and destruction, The Mustard Seed Mission (MSM) emerged as a vital source of support, rapidly mobilizing to aid the affected residents.

Immediate Action

In the quake's immediate aftermath, MSM transformed local schools and training centers into emergency shelters. These safe havens provided essential relief to those who had lost their homes. Our teams worked tirelessly to deliver supplies to even the most remote areas, ensuring no one was left behind. Financial aid was quickly distributed to the most vulnerable, offering a glimmer of hope in their darkest hours. Alongside physical aid, we provided emotional and spiritual support, helping the community begin the healing process.

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Shifting to Long-Term Recovery

As the weeks passed, MSM's focus shifted from immediate relief to long-term recovery. We launched initiatives to repair and reinforce homes, aiming not just to restore buildings but to rebuild lives. The shelters continued to offer refuge, while our repair teams assessed and addressed structural damages. Our commitment extended beyond physical reconstruction; we sought to restore a sense of normalcy and stability to the affected families.

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Empowering the Community

By June, MSM introduced the Cash for Work program, creating job opportunities for those impacted by the disaster. This initiative not only provided much-needed income but also fostered a sense of purpose and community involvement. Monthly living subsidies were given to help families manage their financial burdens during this challenging time. Additionally, we offered professional training programs to equip residents with new skills, enhancing their future employment prospects. To further strengthen community resilience, MSM provided disaster preparedness education to community leaders and school staff, empowering them to better handle future emergencies and protect their communities.

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Continuing Support and Future Goals

As of June 30, 2024, MSM's efforts had made a significant impact. Our emergency shelters had housed thousands, meals had been served, and numerous homes had been repaired. The Cash for Work program engaged many residents, providing a total of 4,072 work hours. Living subsidies reached 15 families, easing their financial strain.

Looking ahead, MSM remains dedicated to Hualien’s recovery. We plan to expand the Cash for Work program and enhance our home repair initiatives, with a strong emphasis on seismic safety. Our support will continue, focusing on both emotional care and disaster preparedness education.

In the face of adversity, The Mustard Seed Mission remains a steadfast source of hope and resilience. Together, we are not just rebuilding structures; we are rebuilding lives, fostering a stronger, more resilient community for the future.

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Mar 21, 2024
From Brokenness to Beauty: Restoring Lanyu with Love

By Denny Chou | Supervisor, International Mktg Resource Centre

Dear friends,

We are writing to provide you with an update on our work in disaster reduction and relief, both in Taiwan and around the world.

Organisational Transformation

As you may know, we have been working hard to help people affected by various disasters in Asia and Western Asia. In order to better respond to the changing and complex needs of disaster victims, we have transformed our former Domestic Disaster Prevention Unit into a new department, called Global Disaster Reduction and Relief Division. This new department will be responsible for disaster relief and aid work both inside and outside Taiwan, covering the aspects of prevention, mitigation, response, and recovery.

Typhoon Koinu Relief and Recovery in Lanyu

In September 2023, Typhoon Koinu made landfall in Taiwan, causing extensive damage to the island of Lanyu. We immediately mobilized our emergency response team and provided relief supplies to the affected families. We also conducted a damage assessment and began working on long-term recovery plans.

In the first phase of our relief efforts, we provided food, water, shelter, and medical care to the people of Lanyu. We also distributed emergency cash grants to help families meet their immediate needs.

In the second phase, we focused on helping families repair and rebuild their homes. We worked with a team of professional engineers and contractors to assess the damage and develop a plan for repairs. We also provided financial assistance to families who were unable to afford the cost of repairs.

In the third phase, we worked to help families recover their livelihoods. We provided loans and grants to help businesses reopen, and we also offered training and support to help people find new jobs.

Plans for 2024

In 2024, we will continue to work on disaster reduction and relief both in Taiwan and around the world. Our plans include:

Providing professional training for disaster relief workers
Conducting disaster preparedness education and advocacy
Establishing food storage centres in communities throughout Taiwan
Completing home reconstruction in Turkey and Syria

Individual Story

One of the families we helped in Lanyu is the Jiang family. Mr. Jiang is a single father of four children. Two of his daughters, Shien and Ming, are sponsored by The Mustard Seed Mission.

When Typhoon Koinu hit, Mr. Jiang's home was severely damaged. The roof was blown off, and the windows were shattered. Mr. Jiang and his children were forced to evacuate to a nearby shelter.

We provided Mr. Jiang with a new roof and windows. We also helped him to repair the damage to his home.

Mr. Jiang is grateful for our help. He says that he is now able to sleep at night knowing that his family is safe.

(English Dubbed)

We are grateful for your support of our Typhoon Koinu relief and recovery efforts. Your donation has made a real difference in the lives of the people of Lanyu.

Sincerely,

The Mustard Seed Mission

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Nov 17, 2023
Typhoon Koinu hits Orchid Island. The Mustard Seed Mission launches Helping Network at Orchid Island

By Benson Wu | Project Leader

Typhoon Koinu () pummels Taiwan with record winds. Strong gusts of magnitude 17 devastated the entire island and caused severe disasters. The Mustard Seed Mission Disaster Prevention and Relief Center has been conducting reviews on Orchid Island for four days starting from October 7th and providing timely assistance to the affected families. After reviews, the team found a family that had urgent special needs for a baby. The Mustard Seed Mission assists in airlifting supplies to Orchid Island during urgent days and distributes emergency relief funds of NT$10,000 to each family that it serves.

The typhoon caused serious damage to the village houses, The Mustard Seed Mission launched a fundraiser for Orchid Island's post-disaster reconstruction, established an Orchid Island Helping Network, and called on the public to help the affected residents rebuild their homes and resume their daily lives.

The Mustard Seed Mission Disaster Prevention and Relief Center went to Orchid Island to investigate and provide assistance. The typhoon severely damaged local buildings and vehicles.

Wu Bing-han, director of the Disaster Prevention and Relief Center, said that the roofs of residents' houses and water towers were blown off, and the water tower even flew halfway up the mountain. People have to go up the mountain to carry water. An old man said: "I have never encountered such a typhoon. 90% of the fishing boats have capsized." Most families on the island do not have electricity, and it rains intermittently. They are also worried that the next typhoon may come.

The families served by The Mustard Seed Mission suffered from house's broken windows and leaking roofs due to the typhoon.

The Mustard Seed Mission's social workers have been involved in relief work for several days, providing timely assistance and care, understanding the affected families' situation, and planning the follow-up assistance work.

The Langdao tribe was seriously damaged due to the telegraph poles being blown down. It will be the last tribe to have power restored on Orchid Island. In Langdao tribe, one of the families served by The Mustard Seed Mission's children sponsorship program has urgent special needs for a baby. After coordination, the supplies were airlifted to Orchid Island for the baby's needs. The Mustard Seed Mission will also issue an emergency relief fund of NT$10,000 to each family that engages in the children sponsorship program to meet the urgent needs of life.

The Mustard Seed Mission Disaster Prevention and Relief Center's staff went to visit affected families (left) and farmers whose chicken houses were damaged by the typhoon (right).

"The most important thing at the moment is to restore residents' homes and lives as soon as possible." Li Zhao-jia, CEO of The Mustard Seed Mission said that The Mustard Seed Mission has been deeply involved in Orchid Island for many years. In addition to the current family services, there are also churches cultivated and established by the founder of The Mustard Seed Mission in the early years, as well as there are many recipients who used to live in Orchid Island who received vocational training from The Mustard Seed Mission have deep feeling to the island.

This year, The Mustard Seed Mission encourages indigenous youth to raise laying hens through natural farming methods, which not only supplies local needs but also hopes to promote economic and industrial development. However, in this typhoon, the roofs of the chicken coops and farmers' houses were blown away.

The Mustard Seed Mission has established a helping network on Orchid Island. In addition to connecting cooperative companies and other resources for support, the indigenous youths from Jianshi Township, Hsinchu, and Haiduan Township, Taitung, which The Mustard Seed Mission has trained, have also formed a volunteer team to rebuild the chicken coops and homes.

The Orchid Island post-disaster recovery requires funding for building repairs, disaster preparedness food storage hubs, emergency rescue equipment setting, community industry recovery, etc., and is in urgent need of public support!

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