We met Jednel and his family for the first time just 3 weeks after Typhoon Haiyan. He was with his friends, looking for scrap metal that they could sell to make a small income.
Soon after our introductions, Jednel began to tell us about the day Typhoon Haiyan hit his community:
“When we heard the warning my mother said: ‘Brace yourself, there is a typhoon coming. Please my son, be brave.’”
We ran onto the roof of the house of our neighbour. We were so terribly scared and cold in the rain and the wind. My brother’s lips were blue and we thought he was going to die. But he survived. We saw a lot of dead people on the street. It was so sad. Everyone cried. Lots of buildings were destroyed including my school.”
Almost 12 months later, the roads are now clear and the tropical vegetation has made the landscape green and lush. While Jednel’s school is formally rebuilt, he goes to class in a temporary school structure with walls made of wood and a roof made of tarpaulin.
Jednel tells us about his plans for the future:
“When I grow up, I want to be a scientist. I want to learn about typhoons and what is happening to the earth. I want to go to school so I can fulfill my plans and support my family. And I want to have a big happy family…that’s all,” he recalls with a smile.
