International humanitarian response agency RedR Australia has launched a public fundraising appeal to support the Fijians affected by Cyclone Winston last month.
RedR has sent experts to Suva who are assisting the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to coordinate the response effort and the use of military assets to distribute aid to the islands. They also have people assisting UNICEF to communicate with the disaster-affected communities and the World Health Organisation to collate, track and analyse information related to health humanitarian action and emergency risk management through GIS mapping.
“In the first week, we were working 18 hour days but it’s dropped to 15 this week,” civil military coordinator Dale Potter says. RedR deployed Dale to UNOCHA where he is liaising with the Fiji defence force to coordinate the use of foreign military assets on loan to assist in the distribution of relief supplies.
Australia, New Zealand and France have provided planes, helicopters and boats to help move critical supplies to the most affected regions.
“One of the biggest concerns at the moment is the pipeline of aid as we’ve exhausted a lot of the emergency stocks in country and we are waiting for more to arrive," Potter says.
“There were some villages in Koro and further east that were flattened. However, reports are coming back that villagers are starting to procure their own materials and rebuild. Food, water and shelter are the government’s priorities.
“The people have been traumatised but they are amazingly resilient and have a great attitude. People assessing the situation in the field tell me that they’ve met people left homeless who come up and smile and thank them for their help and offer them what food they have, it’s extraordinary.
“I’m based in the future operations centre where requests to distribute aid are prioritised and given to various militaries for action.”
The Australian and NZ defence forces have also sent engineering teams aboard ships that are now moored off some of the worst affected islands and those teams are repairing schools and critical infrastructure. RedR launched a Fundraising Appeal this week to enable them to send more experts like Potter to Fiji.
You can support RedR’s fundraising appeal by spreading the word on your social media networks and giving generously. Donate now and help them alleviate the suffering in Fiji.
“One of the best ways for Australians to help the locals rebuild their homes and lives is to donate to an appeal like RedR’s that will ensure the right people with the right skills are here to make sure relief aid gets to where it’s needed most,” Potter says.
IPWEA Australasia is a founding partner of RedR Australia.
Photo: UNICEF/Hing courtesy of RedR Australia