One of our team members working in Manila had a last minute opportunity to speak about and promote ISWAN's work and Seafarer Help at Luneta Seafarers' Welfare Foundation (LUSWELF) last week.
A legal lecture by Atty Dennis Gorecho was due to take place, and the lawyer generously offered our Manila representative Jun Pablo the use of the PA system to promote ISWAN after the lecture. Our team members are always ready and willing to share welfare information with seafarers in a variety of circumstances, and prepared promotional materials and a talk for those attending.

Despite bad weather, the seafarers were very interested in hearing about the welfare services that ISWAN provide, and helpline cards with contact information were distributed. 13 seafarers logged concerns and requests for assistance at the event itself, with our team able to get enough details that they could be referred to the correct services immediately. Most of them were contacted the same day.

After the success of this experience our Manila ISWAN team has been offered the opportunity to speak again this week. It is an excellent chance to meet, support and raise awareness with seafarers coming to the centre who may otherwise not have had access to information. We'd like to say well done to Jun Pablo for seizing the initiative.