Hennie La Grange News

A two-day Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Awareness Campaign updated the seafarer public in Luneta Park, Manila of MPHRP’s programmes and services led by MPHRP Regional Director for Philippines/Southeast Asia Rancho Villavicencio and MPHRP Assistant Programme Director Hennie la Grange, July 23-24. In partnership with SEACOMS Maritime Development International, Inc., the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme Philippines held its awareness campaign for the second time in Manila where a seafarer crowd was gathered to be informed of the programme’s existence and how MPHRP assists piracy survivors and their families locally.

Few people are as devoted to seafarers’ wellbeing as MPHRP’s partners, which include the members of the International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) and the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA). With that in mind, MPHRP embarked upon a training initiative devised in collaboration with both ICMA and ISWAN. Based upon research and extensive shared experience, the training engages port chaplains, seafarers’ centres, other shore-based welfare providers to seafarers and community carers in home countries, ensuring that we reach seafarers in ports and in their home locations before and immediately after piracy and post repatriation.

The Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP) has welcomed the release and safe return of the remaining crew from the MV Albedo. Commenting on their arrival into Kenya on 7 June 20124MPHRP chair Peter Swift said, “After 1288 days in captivity we are delighted for them and their families after the terrible ordeal and hardship that they have suffered. “The generous support of MPHRP’s partners and friends, together with the extensive groundwork and cooperation of the UNODC and others, helped to facilitate the release of the 7 Bangladeshi, 2 Sri Lankan, 1 Indian and I Iranian crew members after they had been abandoned by the owner and with no direct support forthcoming from other parties.