On Friday, March 13 2015, Cyclone Pam seriously affected Vanuatu with especially the central and south parts of the archipelago leaving thousands of people without home and resources. 80% of the rural communities live on the subsistence agriculture and in the coming weeks the situation will become more dramatic with a shortage of food. We need some support to be able to assist the communities surrounding our centre in Port Vila and our members from the islands.
The entire country has likely been affected, to some extent, by the extremely damaging winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges and flooding. There is concern for the southern-most islands of Tafea Province (total population 32,540), which was directly struck by the eye wall and is without communication. The northern islands of Sanma, Penama and Torba Provinces (population 86,000) are also expected to have been heavily impacted as the cyclone headed south-southwest towards the capital.
Banana crops and leafy vegetable crops are likely to have been destroyed, with root crops uprooted or inundated. Fruit trees will have lost fruit and small livestock and pens will have been destroyed. We will assist the communities surrounding our centre in Port Vila, the capital and our members in the islands by supplying shelter or building materials to repair their homes and some food with seed and planting materials.
We expect that the project can assist the communities and our members in the islands by giving them the support their need to rebuild their life.
