Operation One For Leyte ● PHOTO EXHIBIT

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VOLUNTARY TRIPS

When I was in the Philippines in 2013, I encountered two huge natural calamities: The Bohol earthquake (October 2013) and the Typhoon Haiyan (November 2013). I was lucky enough as even though I was so close to said calamities, I was distant enough to not lose anything or get injured. These mentioned experiences touched me deeply and pushed me into joining the voluntary relief operations to help the affected population. The relief operations were mostly organised The Kindred Nomad and Volunteers in Cebu renting boats and trucks, and buying the relief goods from the money they raised through their generous-hearted sponsors and from their own pockets as well, to help as much as they could. This specific trip was organised by The Kindred Nomad and was the first they arranged in Leyte island, one of the most affected places.

THE PHOTO EXHIBIT

Now that I'm home I realised that the experience I had in the Philippines, particularly my trips as volunteer, have been the most important experience in my entire life, despite knowing that many families still do not have houses and enough food to eat in a single day. I learned how a small action could be important, even showing sincerity in the act of caring That's why I came up with a gallery of the photographs that I took during the operations. I am not a professional photographer and will not try to be one, but I am always meticulous with my works for I put my heart into each one of them. I really hope you like this gallery and that it touches touch you as it touched me.

NOW ONLINE

The photos were visible for more than 1 month at the ARCI club "CAS*AUPA", via Val d'Aupa 2 (Udine, ITALY), during the "Social Garden" event of August/September 2014. Now you can see them here online:

THE BEGINNING ● 3.00AM
Volunteers gather to load supplies on some rented jeepneys and head towards the harbour.

THE TRIP

With the wind against us, the duration of the trip is uncertain, but the goal remains the same: reach Leyte and its survivors.

THE AWAKENING

After about nine hours of travelling we are awakened by the dolphins and everyone starts to thank the ocean with a succession of warm "thank you".

THE ARRIVAL ● 12.00

Sunk boats, broken palm trees and smoke are the prelude to what awaits on the island.

LOAD & UNLOAD

Locals come to help us, the sunlight is strong despite the clouds and it is really hard to unload all the supplies.

BEGINNING ● 01.00PM

Despite the "thumb up", the background panorama shows us that the situation is actually "not ok".

WARNING

The environment around make it pretty clear that this is not a sightseeing tour: the government does very little to secure the infrastructure, so we have to keep the eyes wide open.

FIRST STOP ● 01:30PM

People are queued to each receive a bag of food each and some water.

TO EACH HIS OWN

Every family has a ticket, so the distribution can be fair and nobody is allowed the supplies more than once.

THE WAIT

People are impatient because they don't often receive aid: the main reason is the high level of corruption. It happens too often that the donated food ends up rotting in warehouses, as they remain there to be "packaged" by politicians hungry for more votes.

JUST A LITTLE

Just a few cans of food and the change in facial expressions pays off all our effort.

TIME TO GO ● 2:00PM

There is no time for pleasantries. Once a delivery is made, it is already time to leave: the day has just begun.

SECOND STOP ● 2:10PM

People pop up like mushrooms and volunteers try to keep them in neat rows.

THE MEDICINE

At every stop we leave some doctors and/or nurses to carry out routine check ups.

THE DONATION
A few Philippine pesos are enough to give a little hope and relief to many people.

THE APPLE
Each child gets an Apple: a simple thing becomes a special moment.

THE SMILE
The greatest gift we receive in return and the best aspect of a population constantly at risk of earthquakes, floods, typhoons: they can lose everything but not the smile.

THE DULL EYE
A picture with a thousand meanings.

DESOLATION

Sounds crazy, but there are people living among the ruins.

CONTRAST 1

A blue sky stands in stark contrast with the devastation below.

CONTRAST 2

Crooked poles and broken palm trees are the panorama that surround our adventure.

THIRD STOP ● 03.30PM
Last stop and last supplies: they were waiting for us to come.

DESTRUCTION
There was little and little remains.

RECONSTRUCTION

Someone has already started to rebuild his house, instead of waiting for worthless government aid.

CHILD EYES

Despite his young age, he has already seen everything.

GRATIFICATION

Getting that bag was like reaching a goal.

SAD BUT HAPPY
Other contrasts.

THE END ● 04:30PM

It's time to go home: our "safe and clean" place.

THE SUNSET

It was the most beautiful moment: standing in the back of the pickup, the apocalyptic landscape that would move away from me and the poignant smell of smoke created by bonfires made me realise that I couldn't handle that world anymore. People who lived there were forced to accept it and move on.