On the ground in Vanuatu One country in the Pacific that has been heavily impacted by natural disasters recently is Vanuatu, which was hit by three powerful cyclones within seven
What you helped to achieve in Vanuatu:
International Delegate, Steve Barton, has recently returned from deployment in Vanuatu where he was assigned as a Shelter Cluster Coordinator, helping the people of Vanuatu to rebuild.
Support for 14,000 people with health awareness programs.
Disease outbreak response through the provision of funds to Emergency Appeals or via other funding mechanisms that will support National Society activities. Coordinated emergency shelter response in partnership with the National Disaster Management Office.
months last year - leaving behind a trail of devastation affecting thousands of families. Between late February and early March, the country’s islands were pummelled by back-to-back tropical cyclones, Judy and Kevin. Then came Lola, an out of season cyclone, which made landfall on October 25. The local National Society, Vanuatu Red Cross, is among the largest aid organisations in Vanuatu and has a network of volunteers all over the country. Your support helps them to support their communities all year round, with health, water, sanitation, First Aid and in fact most facets of daily living. When disaster hits, they are there, living in the affected communities, and ready to respond within minutes.
What is it like for people living in the most remote communities? We visited a remote village on the island of Pentecost that was hit hard by Cyclone Lola in October. It’s inaccessible by road and we had to trek down a narrow, steep, slippery path for three-and-a-half hours. The community carries almost everything down that track to their village, cement, food, and supplies. They also carry sick and injured people up that track. There are only tiny stores carrying a few essentials, no doctors, and the children walk four to five hours a day to get to and from the closest school. There’s no electricity and few resources. People here live a hard life, and they’re amazingly tough. I saw lots of cyclone-damaged buildings. With tarpaulins and recovered bits and pieces, families cobble together what they call a ‘quick fix’ - somewhere to gather a few possessions and get out of the sun and rain. But rebuilding a sustainable home is a distant prospect. The other great difficulty is cyclones do immense damage to crops. People live off their gardens, so the first thing they must do is rush out to plant. Otherwise, they will go hungry. What’s it like coming home after an assignment? It can be tough to adjust to life in Australia. I’ve stood in supermarkets, quietly started crying, and had to walk out. When you’re confronted by the difference between people living on a dollar a day or less and how we live at home, it’s hard. People are suffering to degrees we can’t imagine. But doing this work is the highest privilege I could ever have. As a child, I remember being appalled by the terrible things happening in the world. I look at the world every day and think, ‘This place is in trouble’. But I’m not standing around asking what the meaning of everything is. I am doing what I can to make a difference.
Plus, the supply and distribution of relief items supplies, including:
2,353 solar lanterns 400 shelter toolkits 400 tarpaulins
Australian Red Cross delegate Steve Barton.
How are people feeling after three cyclones in seven months? The repeated cyclones are wearing people down. Some are still recovering from Cyclone Harold in 2020 and even Cyclone Pam in 2015. Then comes another one. Their houses and gardens get smashed, and they’ve got to start over again. The people of Vanuatu don’t give up; they just keep going. They are resilient and joyful. But I could see the anxiety about these punishing cyclones. Many people live a difficult life. They feel battered and frightened, afraid of what will happen when the next cyclone comes. Where will they find a safe place to shelter? What was your role? I am a shelter specialist; my background is in construction. I was sent to help coordinate the community’s recovery, liaising between the government and all the shelter stakeholders, including Vanuatu Red Cross. I also helped Vanuatu Red Cross with an innovative, community-driven longer-term shelter recovery plan.
Red Cross workers unloading emergency relief items on the ground in Vanuatu. Image: Dickinson Tevi/ Vanuatu Red Cross
16
17
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator