A Gore school, which sponsors a child in the Philippines, is concerned about his welfare after the country was hit by its heaviest floods in more than 40 years.
St Marys School sponsors Bernard Lepardo, but has not been able to confirm his safety after two storms that killed hundreds throughout the country.
The child is sponsored through aid agency Tear Fund New Zealand, which has launched an appeal to help the victims of the disaster.
The typhoons struck the Philippines in recent weeks, while the Pacific-Asia region also suffered the Samoan tsunami and Indonesian earthquake.
Gore teacher Rhonda Dennis, who met Bernard in his home in the Philippines, said her heart was pounding when she heard news of the flooding.
"Bernard's home regularly flooded, even in moderate rain, so I'm really concerned about him. When it rained, they had to climb up a 2m ladder to a higher floor in his slum house to get above the water."
Pupils at the Gore school had recently tried to make his birthday special by sending him New Zealand board games made by pupils.
"I hope he got out with his treasures from the St Marys' kids.
He has kept every letter and picture ever sent and keeps them all in a big folder.
They were so important to him," Ms Dennis said.
The Tear Fund's acting executive director, Jon Horne, said communications with the Philippines was still difficult but there had been no reported deaths of children sponsored through the organisation, though many of their homes had been submerged.
Anyone wanting to donate to the fund's relief efforts in the Philippines can visit www.tearfund.co.nz, or telephone 0900 90777, to make an automatic $20 donation.
