News Release
14 October 2009

Update: Red Cross Action In Samoa

Two weeks after the devastating tsunami struck the south coast of Samoa, Red Cross action has moved from disaster relief to focusing on longer term recovery in the country.

Red Cross action in Samoa, supported with over 200 local volunteers and specialist Red Cross staff, has included 322 deliveries of relief items into 40 different locations including three villages on Manono Island.

The focus has been on providing psychosocial support to affected families, restoring family links in response to over 100 enquiries, assisting with delivery of ‘safe and well’ messages, providing emergency health and care with trained first aiders, distributing building materials to enable more permanent shelter construction, coordinating the logistics of the delivery, storage and distribution of a huge range of disaster and recovery stocks, and continuing to provide for immediate water and sanitation needs including delivering 65,000 litres of water in the past five days.

Two New Zealand Red Cross humanitarian aid workers, Douglas Clark and Dean Manderson, remain in Samoa working closely with the Samoa Red Cross Society as part of the International Red Cross Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT).

“Just two weeks after the tsunami hit we are seeing and hearing about amazing situations that demonstrate the hope and survival of people and communities. Many people are already active in restoring and rebuilding their living arrangements and sourcing their basic needs. It’s these small signs of recovery that are so important for healing and for promoting the mental health and well being of the community,” says Douglas Clark.

Tautala (Tala) Mauala, Secretary General of the Samoa Red Cross Society will be in Auckland next week to attend a Red Cross Pacific Forum meeting along with 12 other Red Cross Pacific leaders.

The Samoa Earthquake and Tsunami Appeal has now raised over $1.5 million and the total continues to rise steadily with New Zealand and international donations. New Zealand Red Cross guarantees that 100 percent of all donations will go directly to the appeal.

Donations to the New Zealand Red Cross Samoan Earthquake and Tsunami Appeal can be made by:
• Making a secure online donation at www.redcross.org.nz
• Donate online at www.givealittle.co.nz (who are working in partnership with Red Cross for this appeal)
• Sending cheques (made payable to New Zealand Red Cross), to the Samoa Earthquake and Tsunami Appeal, Red Cross House, PO Box 12140, Thorndon, Wellington, 6144
• Calling 0900 31 100 to make an automatic $20 donation
• Making a donation at any New Zealand Red Cross office throughout the country
• Visit your local ANZ, ASB, Kiwibank or TSB branch
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New Zealand Red Cross continues to work closely with the New Zealand government in the coordination of the disaster response and recovery plans for Samoa.

ENDS

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