Emergency Relief for Inter-Faith Filipino Children

Asia America Initiative is supported by local volunteers and first responders have been providing basic healthcare items to a target of 20,000 displaced families. Relief supplies are currently being distributed in remote highland and island areas. Your donation will positively impact communities and inspire hope for those who are now homeless. Our special emphasis is on the safety of women and girls after a calamity.  

Many storms are currently active across the Pacific Typhoon belt and the Ring of Fire; unfortunately, they are ongoing. In early October, two new weather systems are expected to bring cloudy and rainy weather to already hard-hit areas in the island country, based on projections from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The northeasterly wind flow will bring cloudy skies with non-stop rain and thunderstorms in central and northern provinces such as in Ilocos, Quezon and Aurora, as well as isolated rain showers and thunderstorms in the most northerly Cagayan Valley region and other provinces of Ilocos Norte and Apayao. In addition, rainstorms are soaking and flooding the most southern provinces near Indonesia such as Zamboana and Sulu according to international storm monitoring agencies.

The continuing earthquake aftershocks -- more than 10,000 incidents between October 1 and October 10, 2025 --  in the Philippines have severely affected over 200,500 people. The Philippine government estimated that at least 100,000 school-age children have been displaced.

Following the massive September 6.9 earthquake, on October 9, the same area was further devastated with a massive 7.6 earthquake which threatened to cause a tsunami.  Fresh food, clean water, and shelter materials are still in short supply. Many roads are damaged by mudslides and rockslides. Various disease outbreaks and unrepaired bridges make it difficult for those in remote areas to receive essential services. 

Asia America Initiative is working with local leaders, community organizations, police, and firefighters to deliver urgently needed goods and services to families who are unable to return to their homes. We have cautioned our volunteers to exercise caution when disributing relief, as they are already are delivering clean water, food, blankets, and hygiene supplies to those in need. We are also preparing to send support for an additional 1,000 homeless families affected by flooding and fires in especially hard-to-reach areas of the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

Your donation will provide emergency supplies to families left homeless, giving them a chance to rebuild their lives. We look forward to your ongoing support.  

Thank you, dear donors, for your ongoing contributions. If you would like to continue your support or are interested in becoming a long-term sponsor with a monthly donation, please click the link below. Your support helps families recover from typhoons and natural disasters.

Links:

• AAI Website

Dear Friends,

AAI is sponsoring Summer Reading Camps for children in Sulu,Philippines by providing books, learning kits, and a daily shared meal. For children in underserved areas, reading is more than just a school activity—it’s a gateway to confidence, creativity, and lifelong success.

We believe learning thrives when communities come together. Local teachers and volunteer parents organize daily reading sessions, design creative (and fun) activities, and provide simple, nutritious meals to fortify young minds and keep bodies nourished.

In May and June, five schools in Sulu Province held their reading camps in Salih Yusah, Badjao, Lugmah, Sapie, and Timbangan Elementary Schools. We are proud to say that one of our AAI-sponsored schools initiated this 2 week-long Summer Vacation event, which has since become a model for other schools in the region to follow. These activities are now a joyful tradition for many children to gather, learn, and grow together, while their parents clean and paint rural schools and makeshift learning facilities.

In Mindanao, student attendance was cut in half during the post-pandemic period, as many youths had to help their families work for a few pesos per day to help support their survival. AAI's extended teams of principals, teachers, and volunteers recognize that the best place for students’ long-term well-being and success is to stay in school. Parents are also invited to the Reading Camps to enhance their own reading skills, which will encourage them to read with their children at home. Children who read at home have better learning outcomes in their classrooms.

Thank you, dear donors of AAI,"  says Principal Bhing in Sulu. "Our Teachers welcome your invaluable support.  Especially our volunteer teachers who really show their dedication & potential, our very active parents & our learners who show joyful interest to learn. The success of our SUMMER READING CAMP manifests the kind of relationship that we have built with AAI.  We have repeatedly achieved our goal... And we have achieved beyond expectation.  Congratulations everyone. "

In the Philippines, intensive poverty, social conflicts, and natural disasters have caused suffering for millions of Filipino children. This program empowers elementary school children who are the most vulnerable victims. Education, regardless of a family’s culture or religious faith, teaches students the value of cooperation and diversity.  AAI, is the only consistently present international NGO in Sulu.  We have continued providing books, school supplies, clean water, and hygiene supplies.

We could not do this without our donors' support.  If you would like to add to your individual support or begin a monthly donation of merely $10 per month, please click the link below, and GlobalGiving will assist you in this worthwhile endeavor.

Unite Inter-Faith Children via Education and Water

Wishing you peace,

Albert Santoli

Links:

• Asia America Initiative website