Bernadette: A Thousand Steps for Water
29 July 2022<em><strong>Story by: Jamie Gutierrez<br>Photos by: Kassandra Barnes and Jamie Gutierrez</strong></em><br><br><strong>Access to clean water and hygiene products is a challenge for many households after Typhoon Odette (Rai), but especially for Bernadette who lives in one of Cebu’s upland communities where people have to make dangerous treks daily to reach their water source.</strong>
Bernadette is an 18-year-old, Grade 12 student who lives in one of the upland communities in Badian, Cebu. Her father, Hermisio works as a construction worker with his employment dependent on availability, while her mother, Bernice, works as vegetable seller at the market. She is the second oldest child of seven siblings.
To reach their home, one must trek upwards, passing through steep inclines and muddied, narrow pathways overlooking a precipitous cliff. Without any guard railings or safety precautions, it is a dangerous journey, but one that people in her community make every day in order to go about their daily tasks such as going to work or fetching supplies
When Typhoon Odette ravaged the country, Bernadette and her family had to evacuate as the storm completely washed out their home. Because of her community’s upland location and terrain, they became prone to multiple safety hazards after the typhoon. Her mother was injured the day after the storm when she fell victim to a landslide. She needed nine stitches to close up her wound.
Unfortunately, Typhoon Odette wasn’t the only natural disaster they had to overcome as their community was also affected by Typhoon Agaton in April just four months after Odette. One of the biggest challenges they faced in the recovery process was getting access to clean water and hygiene products.
To fetch water, Bernadette and the people in her community have to make the dangerous trek downwards to their water source and back up to their houses up to five times a day. They also had to make the same journey when buying hygiene products if they could afford it, as families would often have to prioritize food.
Through the support of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), her community received water and hygiene kits to address their immediate humanitarian needs. The water containers included in the water kits were particularly helpful as it meant they could make less trips up and down when fetching water.
Bernadette shares, “Dako gyud siya na katabang, tungod kay ang amoang mga kinahanglan na uban kay naa na sa kit. Importante siya sa amoa diri kay kini ang among mga kinahanglan para sa among kaugalingon.”
(It’s really great help for us because a lot of the things we need are in the kit. It’s important for our people, because we need these things for ourselves, for our dignity.)
It’s important for our people, because we need these things for ourselves, for our dignity.
Bernadette, 18, recipient of WASH Kit
Despite all the challenges she and her family face, Bernadette continues to have hope for the future. If her family is able to afford it, she wants to pursue a college degree in business after completing high school. If not, she hopes to find work in Moalboal, a nearby resort town, or at a nearby commercial establishment.
“Ang gusto nako makit-an ay na makarecover na gyud tanan sa bagyo. kana ganing mas makagahom na sila sa ilang kaugalingon, makahimo na sila sa ilang balay…mao ra gyud na ang akong gusto.” (What I hope is for everyone to really recover from the typhoon. That everyone can get back on own feet, and rebuild their homes…That’s really all I want.)
Bernadette is one of the beneficiaries of the Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai in the Philippines project which is made possible with funding from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), and is implemented by a consortium of partners including CARE Philippines, National Rural Women Coalition (PKKK), ACCORD Incorporated, Action Against Hunger Philippines, and Plan International Philippines
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