Sandra Damota is an ERU delegate helping with Red Cross relief efforts in the Philippines
A lot can happen in a short amount of time. That was certainly the case this week for Sandra Damota, who has deployed with the Canadian Red Cross Emergency Response Unit (ERU) to assist in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.
It was Monday at 6 p.m. when Sandra officially learned she would be part of the team going to the Philippines. Over the next 24 hours, she received permission from her employer to take a leave from work, packed all the belongings she would need for the next four weeks, and said goodbye to her family and friends. She left Toronto at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Sandra spent the day in Ottawa where she was briefed on the mission ahead of her and had the chance to meet the other 12 delegates from across Canada, each with an important role to play with the ERU. Sandra’s role on the team will be to provide psychosocial support to those who come to the field hospital, so her background as a case worker in Social Services with the City of Toronto will serve her well. Sandra refers to her work with the ERU as providing ‘psychological first aid’. “When a disaster happens, it’s easy to see the physical destruction and the physical wounds and injuries. But what we don’t see is the hurt people feel inside. There has been incredible loss for the people affected by Typhoon Haiyan, in terms of losing family and friends, but also losing their homes, and everything they owned,” said Sandra. “I hope that as part of the Red Cross team, I will be able to provide comfort, help people get back on their feet and give them a sense of hope.”
On Wednesday evening, just 48 hours after learning she would be deployed to the Philippines, Sandra and the other delegates left Canada. They’ll spend four weeks in the Philippines. But a lot can happen in a short amount of time.
Support the efforts of the Canadian Red Cross in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.
