Where Hope Endures
With care, guidance and safe spaces, children can heal from invisible wounds left by disasters
When Super Typhoon Uwan swept across Catanduanes, its impact on children went far beyond damaged homes, and disrupted schooling. The sudden violence of the storm shattered routines and created deep fear and uncertainty – leaving many children anxious, withdrawn, and struggling to feel safe long after the winds had passed.
In typhoon-prone communities, repeated loss has become part of daily life for adults. For children, however, the emotional toll accumulates. Fear of recurrence, disrupted caregiving environments, and the loss of familiar spaces can undermine their sense of security and affect how they learn, play and relate to others. Supporting children after disasters is therefore not about restoring optimism alone, but about helping them regain safety, stability, and the confidence to move forward.
In response, UNICEF Philippines, together with Educo, supported children affected by Super Typhoon Uwan through psychological first aid (PFA), delivered by trained child development workers within their communities. While the response took place months after the storm, it addressed ongoing distress that had not fully subsided.
Psychological first aid is a structured, evidence‑based approach that helps children process fear, reduce emotional distress, and strengthen coping skills following crisis events. Through safe, supportive interactions, children are helped to understand their reactions, reconnect with trusted adults, and regain a sense of control and normalcy. Beyond immediate relief, psychological first aid contributes to longer‑term recovery by reinforcing children’s resilience and linking families to sustained child protection support.
For children like Mia, Teddy, and Jasper, psychological first aid helped reduce fear, restore a sense of safety, and support their ability to continue learning, dreaming, and rebuilding their lives after the storm.
Mia: A Promise Kept
Mia, 11, dreams of becoming a teacher. A consistent honor student, she hopes to help other children learn, just as her parents, teachers, and friends inspired her to love school.
She and her friends had promised to study hard and pursue their shared goal of becoming teachers, so they could inspire other children through education, no matter where life takes them.
Beyond ruining school materials and other essentials, Super Typhoon Uwan left Mia deeply frightened. Still, she clings to the promise she made with her friends and their shared dream.
During a psychological first aid session at her school, Mia expressed her feelings through drawing, sketching herself playing with friends by the shore.
“At first, I was nervous, but drawing made me happy,” she said, recalling a small moment that helped her feel lighter after the typhoon.
Teddy: Holding Steady at Sea
Where Mia finds comfort in friendship and learning, Teddy, 12, looks toward the ocean he dreams of navigating. He wants to be the first in his family to become a seaman and chart a path beyond what he has known.
During Uwan’s onslaught, fear gripped Teddy as he and his fisherman father watched wind and waves destroy their boat, their family’s source of livelihood, along with other belongings. They dug through the sand afterwards, trying to salvage what little remained.
Even after losing so much, Teddy remains determined. “I want to be a seaman so I can help my family,” he said, holding on to his dream as his family begins rebuilding their life.
Jasper: Adventure Awaits
For four-year-old Jasper, dreams are big and bright. Inspired by his father, a tricycle driver, he imagines driving a van, piloting a robot, and taking his family to places they have never been.
Jasper and his family had to evacuate when Uwan hit their area, leaving their home uninhabitable and their belongings scattered. This instilled fear in the young child – fear that his mother, Eloisa, notices returning whenever it rains. This is a quiet reminder of the storm’s impact on his young mind.
At a psychological first aid session, Jasper eagerly joined the activities. “Even when the questions weren’t for him, he was excited to answer,” Eloisa shared. She added that the session helped Jasper begin to understand what their family had gone through during the typhoon.
Through it all, Jasper remained bright and cheerful, his excitement never waning as he shared what he hopes to become when he grows older.
Hope in Every Step
Behind the smiles and dreams of children like Mia, Teddy, and Jasper are trained child development workers in their neighborhoods. Through programmes led by UNICEF Philippines and Educo, children have caring adults nearby to help them process fear and navigate the emotional aftermath of disasters. This community-based support is accessible, culturally aware, and sustainable. It helps children regain confidence and a sense of normalcy.
Storms leave marks on every child, but with the right support, their dreams can stay alive. With guidance and care, children are given the space to play, imagine, and grow; a reminder that even in the face of disaster, hope endures, and the future remains theirs to shape.
How You Can Help
Thanks to the generous contributions of individual donors like you, UNICEF and their partners have been able to work with the government and other stakeholders to ensure that every child receives life-saving support before, during and after emergencies.
Please consider donating to UNICEF at https://donate.unicef.ph/campaign/emergencies
