Save the Children Vanuatu signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Vanuatu Red Cross Society (VRCS) and Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) to formalize strategic service delivery partners to ensure high-quality service delivery in response to emergencies in Vanuatu.
The signing ceremony on Wednesday was attended by Interim Secretary General of VRCS Dickinson Tevi, Country Director of ADRA Richard Greenwell, and Save the Children Country Director Luke Ebbs.
“We had learned that in Vanuatu we have many and strong local capacities available in the country to respond to emergencies. Some strong local organizations and actors have demonstrated during TC Harold which shows Vanuatu has the local capacity,” said Save the Children Country Director Ebbs.
“We relegalized that our role as Save the Children in Vanuatu in terms of Humanitarian Response, is to strengthen capacity capabilities funding and technical support to local Organization and local actors because of the capacity knowledge on the ground, our communities, their issues and needs during an emergency.”
“We would like to thank Save the Children for this initiative and partner with Red Cross to work together and address emergencies. It is our mandate to provide relief during emergencies. We operate 6 branches in Vanuatu and this partnership will assist Red Cross to build and strengthen its capacity to reach out more effectively during disasters,” said VRCS Interim SG Tevi.
The MOU outlines the roles and responsibilities of each party to share understanding, commitment, roles and responsibilities, and measures of success. By entering this partnership, both parties hope to deliver effective, inclusive, and timely Humanitarian responses in Vanuatu. These partnerships will Support RED Cross and ADRA and other local actors that are under consultation to provide funding and technical support so that these partnerships as front liners to lead response in the future.
ADRA Country Director Greenwell said, “We appreciate the opportunity that we can come together and prepare so that when there is an emergency, we can respond more effectively. This is a way to leverage the expertise that each organization has and ultimately the goal is to be effective in what we do and working in the communities. We are excited to work with Save the Children, work with them and utilize their expertise and the work ADRA does in the communities”
In his closing remarks, Mr. Ebbs continues; “We are excited that we have identified two strong partners with a long history in Vanuatu and demonstrated experiences responding a lot of disasters and we look forward to work with you and your teams to deliver an effective and inclusive humanitarian response in the future whereby we work together to address the needs of the people of Vanuatu during disasters, especially the vulnerable people.”
Source Daily Post