Since February, 2014. Samdhana Institute with World Jewish Relief facilitating Early Recovery and Livelihood start-up assistance for Tagbanua indigenous community affected by STY Haiyan. The provision of livelihood assistance will enable them work towards recovering food security and means of supporting their families for medium and long term, beyond relief and emergency response assistance.

Two grants have been provided to Tagbanua Foundation of Barangay Turda, and the the Katutubong Samahan ng Marabal-Marily-Alulad or KASAMMA. Turda Tagbanua Foundation spearheaded the distribution of livelihood materials, for their project on “TULONG KABUHAYAN SA MGA KATUTUBONG BIKTIMA NG YOLANDA SA BARANGAY TURDA” (Livelihood Assistance for the Indigenous Peoples Victims of (Typhoon) Yolanda in Brgy. Turda). Distributed were 20 piglets to 20 households, seaweed farming materials and seedlings to 5 household-farmers, fishnets and accessories to 20 household-fishermen and seaweed farming materials and seedlings. Total beneficiaries reached are 45 households. A Tagbanua youth association was formed to manage the seaweeds nursery project. Two (2) carabaos were also purchased for communal use and income generating activity i.e. rent. A portion of the grant amounting to Php 30,000.00 was set up as a start up fund for social enterprise project being developed to be managed by women.

Building of paddle boats for Marabal is started, with 14 beneficiaries. Twenty-three (23) households will receive fishnets and accessories while another 14 households opted to engage in pig production as a livelihood plan.

Other WJR areas are still finalizing its project proposals like the Tagbanua Associations in Borac and San Jose in the Municipality of Coron, Sitio Lakdayan in Cheey and Depelenged Island in Concepcion all in the municipality of Busuanga.

To scale up the knowledge and capacity of local associations in managing projects and finances, a Project and Finance Management Training (Batch 1) was conducted last August 17 to 20, 2014 also at Darayonan Lodge, Coron, Palawan.

The training workshop provided the participants with understanding on basic finance and project management concepts, increased their skills in basic financial management especially in recording and accounting, and presented the importance of appropriate finance policies for their organizations.

WJR will support the process for Participatory Vulnerabilities and Capacities Assessment (PVCA) to enable Tagbanua communities to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in their ancestral domain/ community development plans, and to enable them to participate in the barangay planning processes.