NZ earthquake dollars to rebuild health centre
World Vision New Zealand has now raised over $750,000 for victims of the Bam earthquake which shattered the Iranian
city on December 26.
Over 41,000 were killed in the earthquake, and most of the homes in the city and the surrounding villages were
destroyed. New Zealand press officer, James Addis, just returned from three weeks in Bam, says the destruction left not
one person unaffected. "Everyone I met had at least one member of their family killed in the earthquake. The
infrastructure has been destroyed along with houses, schools, hospitals, clinics ? all disintegrated into dust from the
mud bricks from which the buildings were built."
World Vision is now coming to the end of its initial emergency distribution of relief items, and is beginning the
rehabilitation phase of its work in Bam. The Ministry of Health has prioritised the construction of four health centres
in Bam City, each to support up to 20,000 people. World Vision is rebuilding three of these Health Centres, and funds
raised by World Vision New Zealand will go to rebuild the Sfeekan Health Centre in the northern suburbs of Bam.
World Vision has employed an Iranian civil engineer to conduct all negotiations with local contractors, and a team of
Iranian World Vision engineers will monitor the work. World Vision Australia and AUSAid (Australian Government) will
also be funding this rebuilding, as well as the provision of equipment and furnishings.
ends.