5 years after Super Typhoon Haiyan: Documentary shows that building back better is possible

November 7, 2018, Montreal – On the 5^th anniversary of Super Typhoon Haiyan, Development and Peace – Caritas Canada is pleased to present its documentary After the Storm: Building the Pope Francis Village, which follows a devastated community as it is empowered to take charge of its own future and build a new community and new lives.

Super Typhoon Haiyan, which was one of the strongest tropical storms on record, has come to represent the destructive consequences of climate change and how the poor are its first victims.

In the wake of this natural disaster, Development and Peace launched an appeal that raised over $12 million and put in place a program that not only responded to the immediate humanitarian needs of survivors, but also organized the poorest communities to defend their rights and ensure their participation in the reconstruction process.

“After a natural disaster of this magnitude, and that is clearly linked to climate change, communities risk being further impoverished when they are not in charge of their recovery. If their needs and realities are not taken into account and their rights have not been secured, then the critical factors that make them vulnerable to natural and human-made calamities, such as extreme poverty, powerlessness, inequality - remain,” says Jess Agustin, programs officer for the Philippines at Development and Peace. 

As communities were being threatened with displacement from their traditional coastal homes, Development and Peace launched a bold and daring new project to demonstrate that humanitarian responses can also address the structural issues that perpetuate poverty. The organization purchased a piece of land and supported over 3,000 survivors in transforming the site into a new village.

The 47-minute documentary chronicles this journey as community members participate in the planning, construction and management of the site, and in the process discover the inner strength and confidence to reclaim their dignity by challenging the structures that perpetuate poverty and taking charge of their own development.

Screenings of the documentary will be taking place across Canada in the coming months, including a special event in Ottawa on November 8^th to honour the anniversary and a screening in Toronto on December 4^th. To learn more about the film visit  www.devp.org and for information about screenings in your city, contact the Development and Peace representative for your region.