Port Vila, 3 February 2021 — Vanuatu Red Cross Society (VRCS) has partnered with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to deliver agricultural kits to Tropical Cyclone Harold affected households on Malo Island, Sanma Province.
The agriculture kits – which include gardening tools, seedlings and nursery guidance – are part of a broader program to help affected communities re-establish livelihoods that were destroyed when TC Harold hit the country last year.
Mr Dickinson Tevi, VRCS’s interim Secretary General, said:
“Partnerships like this are an important part of efforts to help communities rebuild and recover after disasters. This partnership combines FAO’s expertise and ongoing work to improve the provision of goods and service through agriculture with Red Cross’s strong community links and experience in recovery.”
“It is part of our commitment to working in these communities as they carry out the long term recovery process, and helping to build their resilience to future disasters.”
Under the agreement between FAO and VRCS, the UN organisation allocated VT1,466, 300 to VRCS as service provider to undertake activities in West and East of Malo Island which were severely affected by the TC Harold.
Teams of VRCS volunteers spent five days at the end January distributing shovels, axes, hoes, knives, seedlings, seedling trays, spades, watering cans to communities across the island. Volunteers on the east of the island reached 533 Households across 12 communities, while volunteers in the west reached 901 households across the five main communities.
Community members told the volunteers that they were gradually recovering from the cyclone, but the lack of equipment to assistant with replanting gardens had slowed the process. They said the gardening equipment provided by Red Cross and FAO would help rebuild their livelihoods for the longer term.
Vanuatu Red Cross Society’s work with FAO reflects the importance of partnerships in disaster response and recovery, which also includes Red Cross’s “Auxiliary Role” to public authorities including agencies.
“Vanuatu Red Cross’s vision is to be the leading Humanitarian organization in Vanuatu by providing professional, effective and quality services; its mission is to improve the lives of the most vulnerable without discrimination through voluntary service and it is guided by seven Fundamental principles: Humanity, impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Universality and Unity”.
For more information contact:
Olivia Finau, Vanuatu Red Cross Communication and Dissemination Officer,
email: dissemination@redcrossvanuatu.com; Tel: +27418 Mob:+678 731991 or 5363203
As part of a livelihoods program in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Vanuatu Red Cross Society volunteers provided shovels, axes, hoes, knives, seedlings, seedling trays, spades, and watering cans to communities across Malo Island.
Photo: Vanuatu Red Cross Society