Red Cross Distributes Aid in Vanuatu
On Friday, Red Cross was the first organisation sanctioned by the Government of Vanuatu to begin relief distributions to
communities devastated by Cyclone Pam.
Relief items included tarpaulins, tools for repairing homes, sleeping mats, lamps, kitchen equipment and personal
hygiene items. Distributions will be scaled up in the coming days and weeks.
Red Cross’ emphasis during the first week of the emergency was on supporting people in evacuation centres, mobilising
relief materials and conducting joint needs assessments to ensure relief is delivered where it is needed most urgently.
The immediate focus for Red Cross is now on meeting emergency needs in Tanna Island, Efate Island including Port Vila,
the Sheppard Island group, Paama and Ambyra Island.
This will include the distribution of essential household items, tarpaulins, shelter toolkits, safe drinking water and
health and first aid programs.
Red Cross will also be rolling out longer term recovery projects to support the stronger and safer rebuilding of damaged
homes.
Restoration and strengthening of livelihoods will also be crucial due to the significant damage to crops, livestock and
fisheries.
Red Cross has a long history of working in disaster risk reduction and emergency response in Vanuatu.
NATIONAL OFFICE
69 Molesworth Street PO BOX 12140
WELLINGTON 6041 NEW ZEALAND
TELEPHONE +64 4 471 8250 EMAIL hello@redcross.org.nz
www.redcross.org.nz
@NZRedCross facebook.com/newzealandredcross
With a wide network of community volunteers in all provinces, Red Cross worked with the authorities to conduct
evacuations before the cyclone hit Vanuatu and broadcast important messages warning people to evacuate over local radio.
These investments in early warning and early action paid off, most people were able to evacuate to safety and loss of
life was low. Lives were saved thanks to meteorological data, good communication and fast action by trained volunteers
in local communities.
New Zealand Red Cross aid worker Hanna Butler was at the first distribution of relief items in Eton. She met Enia, a
young mother, whose home was flattened by Cyclone Pam. Enia received a Red Cross family kit, which came from the New
Zealand Red Cross warehouse in Auckland. Here is her story.
“On Friday at 7pm the wind started to blow. By 9pm it became very, very strong. Then the house started to fall apart
around us and we fled to the evacuation centre, a safer place.
I knew my house wasn’t strong enough. It just had corrugated iron walls and a thatched roof. I left the house with all
that I could carry, which was my four children. Everything else I left behind.
All through the night the wind became stronger and we were not able to sleep. A tree fell on the roof of the evacuation
centre and my children were very frightened.
When I came back the next day I found bits of my house scattered everywhere. I felt sad, everything was ruined.
On Sunday I started to clean up, we rebuilt the kitchen, and now we have some shelter but we are sleeping with the
neighbours together with three other families.
We plan to rebuild. Our community is strong and we have formed a working group, we are helping to rebuild each other
houses. We have already rebuilt five. I get strength from my community.
We have enough water, but food will be a problem, we are eating the fruit that fell on the ground, it will last another
two weeks. Our garden has been destroyed so we will have to buy food. Luckily my husband has a job, so we will see what
we can do.
We are managing. The kids are not at school and I have no idea when it will re-open. There are still people living in
the school, it was used as an evacuation centre.”
ENDS