MANILA – IsraAID, a humanitarian Israeli non-government organization working in the Philippines since super typhoon Yolanda, received a special grant from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the auspices of the Czech Embassy and facilitation of the Israel Embassy.
“IsraAID Philippines is grateful for the financial assistance of the Embassy of the Czech Republic to the Philippines, for our Food Security and Agricultural Livelihood Program established after Yolanda. Thanks to this generous donation, IsraAID Philippines will continue to support the long term recovery of the vegetable growers association in rural Ormoc,” Or said.
The ceremony took place on July 31, with the participation of Czech Ambassador Jaroslav Olša, Jr. and Israel Ambassador Effie Ben Matityau. Ambassador Olša said Czech Republic has a long tradition of development cooperation with the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas region. He added that through the partnership with IsraAID, they will be going back to Leyte where there were Czech missionaries some 300 years ago. “It is important to join forces, and look for new ways of supporting the local communities,” Olša said.
Ambassador Ben Matityau expressed gratitude to the Czech Republic for supporting IsraAID, and to IsraAID for continuing its humanitarian work in the Philippines. “We have a very significant development cooperation program with the Philippines that see thousands of Filipinos trained in Israel, hundreds Israelis who came here for joint development projects and humanitarian activities highlighted by the Israeli presence during Yolanda. IsraAID is a very significant contributor to this tradition of supporting the Philippines in times of need,” he said. (Eagle News Service/Embassy of Israel/Embassy of the Czech Republic)
