Update on Cyclone Pam - Vanuatu from NZWCS

ROTARY CYCLONE PAM – VANUATU – URGENT APPEAL FOR DONATIONS OF CASH – Bulletin 3

We now have 1000 ERKs either in Vanuatu or en route.

600 left on HMNZS Canterbury last Sunday – two and half 20 foot container loads. Prime TV News covered Sunday night.

Huge thanks to MFAT, RNZDF (Navy), Jenners Worldwide Freight Ltd for making this possible.

The value of the consignments is approx $600k so we desperately need that equivalent to replace the stock.

The Public Response to our Appeal which has appeared on a number of websites has been well received and we are grateful for donations large and small.

We have received many calls and emails from people representing Ni Vanuatu people in New Zealand and New Zealand residents from other Pacific countries with requests to assist them to send containers of donations in kind and other goods. Each is being considered, but not encouraged.

The reasons are many, essentially to protect the Vanuatu economy and not impair the livelihood of the established business community. A lot of DIK sent by well wishers is often inappropriate.

A priority for funding is re-establishment of safer drinking water. 75 communities are being considered to provide potable water and reduce the sanitation and health consequences which arise from water sources damaged by the cyclone.  Following on from a successful project in Samoa as a result of the last Cyclone devastating that country, water harvesting roofs and tanks maybe installed in  schools in strategic locations which community members can access which will prevent the closure of schools due to sanitation and health concerns. 

Reestablishments of home vegetable gardens also an urgent need which is being considered a priority.

New Zealand Rotary Volunteer Peter Wilson has arrived in Vanuatu to undertake needs assessments having determined a number of islands as those we should support given that Rotary has provided infrastructure to their communities in the past and know the islands well. Rotarians in Vanuatu have suffered loss to homes and businesses and need support whilst they tend to their own personal issues. Trauma is an issue often forgotten at these times.

Vanuatu is made up of 83 islands over a vast area of ocean and limited access mostly by sea. From the most southern to the most northern the distance is approx 1000 kilometres in a straight line.

Given it is only 10 days since Cyclone Pam hit, we believe we are well on track to make a real difference over the coming days, weeks, months and possibly years.

 DONATIONS TO OUR APPEAL ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE

 Four Donation options are:

At any Westpac Branch or by Internet Banking

Quoting   03 1702 0192208 01             Ref.  888 or for ERKs specifically 308

Paypal  at   –     www.rnzwcs.org

Give a Little at -   https://givealittle.co.nz/org/rnzwcs/share

Cheque to

RNZWCS Limited (Rotary New Zealand)

PO Box 20309

Christchurch 8543

New Zealand