Namaskar Oct 2015

KARMA YOGA
YOGA & HEALTH IN TYPHOON-
DEVASTATED PHILIPPINES
One Block for Batug
BY CLAYTON HORTON
In 2011, longtime Hong Kong resident
Ambikha Buco founded One Block for Batug,
a Non-Profit organisation as a response to
rebuild Barangay Batug Elementary School in
Leyte Province Philippines. Excessive
flooding from heavy typhoons destroyed the
old elementary school. With the help of many
communities, schools, organisations, friends
and families in Hong Kong and in the
Philippines, OBB (One Block For Batug)
raised enough funds to buy a new safer
location where the new school has been
constructed. This gave new hope and
opportunity for the students of Batug to
continue to dream and be motivated with
their studies.
On the morning of November 8, 2013, the
Philippines experienced the strongest
typhoon ever recorded in history with the
epicenter of the Typhoon Yolanda (aka
Haiyan) in Leyte. It destroyed everything in
its path and Andrea’s village; Barangay Batug
did not stand a chance. Most of the houses
were 90% damaged. The new school that was
built was 50% damaged. The roof come off,
but the foundation of the building remained
standing. During Typhoon Yolanda, the
community was able to use the school as
shelter and many lives were saved.
One Block for Batug was one of the first on
the scene to help rebuild people’s lives in
Batug. With the support of community
around the world, OBB was able to raise
funds for the donation of food, clothing,
housing materials, and gardening tools. OBB
also provided psychosocial support to raise
community spirit. Ambikha continues to visit
Batug and work with the school children,
offering Yoga and Healing Breathwork.
Two years after Typhoon Yolanda, aid and
donations are unfortunately no longer being
delivered. The community is still in need of
continued support. Although it has been two
years since the typhoon, the suffering and
need for relief is immense in the small towns
and villages along the eastern coast of Leyte
Province. Poverty is an issue as the town is
still in recovery mode. Livelihood, Housing,
Health and Food are the main areas that need
support. One Block For Batug has
established a housing program benefitting
families’ whose houses has been totally
damage by the typhoon on her town of Batug
in Leyte province.
Ambikha has collaborated with many healing
communities in the Philippines that promote
yoga, vegetarian diet, raw food, and
sustainable natural housing. Together, they
have created a housing program to Batug,
which constructs homes with local, natural
materials: mud, soil, coco lumber, and rice
husk. They also have created a home
gardening program to help the community to
grow their own food to encourage the
community to be less dependant on meat
consumption. In 2013, One Block for Batug
built a small Yoga Shala (a small Yoga space)
in Batug village to provide a space for health
and wellness activities in the area.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Housing - Since Typhoon Yolanda, One Block
For Batug has provided funds, labor and
materials 17 new homes with our Mud House
Project. With your help and support there
will be many more safe and happy families
who will be awarded a new home this Holiday
Season and the next years to come.
Education Sponsorship - In 2015, OBB began
One of the 17 new mud homes built in Batug
its Education Sponsorship Program by
sponsoring students for their university
education. Often in this area of the
Philippines, when a student from primary
and secondary finishes their studies, their
family can no longer afford to send them to
University. They often end up working as
domestic helpers, restaurant staff or, the
unlucky ones end up dealing with drugs or
prostitution.
OBB believes the children are our future and
wish to give the youth of the village the
opportunities of eduation. The scholarship
programmes aims to build an environment in
which youth can thrive and have positive
dreams for their future.
To date, one student has been supported
financially to become a school teacher. OBB
hopes to get more support in the future so
they can help more youths to attend
University and inspire their future.
Jason’s university education has been sponsored by OBB
Yoga Mats - As part of Ambikha’s campaign
to promote Yoga and Health in the
community, they would like to provide the
kids with their own Yoga mats. In the past,
Ambikha has been conducting Yoga classes
on the grass field within the school ground.
If you have an old mat you no longer use and
is still in acceptable condition, we would
appreciate if you can donate them for the
kids in Batug village. Your old mats can go a
long way.
To date, Pure Yoga in Hong Kong has
donated several used Yoga mats that have
been delivered to the Primary school of
Batug Dulag Leyte. The students have been
gifted with an opportunity to be exposed to
yoga at a very early age.
October 2015 17