Tuesday 17 March 2015
Following the devastating impact Cyclone Pam has had on the remote island communities of Vanuatu, the Guernsey Overseas Aid Commission has agreed to make an initial donation of £10,000 to an appeal launched by Oxfam to provide urgently needed emergency disaster relief to the people of Vanuatu.
Oxfam has an established presence in Vanuatu and so is in a position to respond immediately to the aftermath of the devastating impact Cyclone Pam has had on the remote and impoverished communities of this Pacific archipelago.
Deputy Mike O'Hara said,
"In reaching the decision to make this donation, the Commissioners were very conscious of the massive impact Cyclone Pam has had on Vanuatu and that estimates suggest that over half of the population has been left homeless. They are also mindful that many of the small islands have yet to be contacted but aerial photographs suggest that the scale of damage is even greater than in Port Vila. These islands are extremely remote and have less infrastructure than Port Vila and so it is clear why the various aid agencies responding to this disaster have such grave fears about what they will find when they are able to reach these communities."
The Commission has been advised by Oxfam that this donation will be used to provide emergency shelter, basic provisions including food, medication, water purification kits, water containers, and sanitary materials.
The Commission will continue to keep the unfolding situation in Vanuatu under close review and will consider making a further donation as the full impact of Cyclone Pam becomes clearer.
-ENDS-
Further information
- The Guernsey Overseas Aid Commission receives an annual budget of £200,000 for donations to appeals following natural disasters and emergencies in the world's least developed countries.
- Vanuatu is an archipelago of over 80 small islands and only 14 are larger than 100m. The Islands lie some 1,750 miles north east of Australia. It is a former British and French Colony and gained its independence in 1980.
- Vanuatu is ranked 141 on the UN Human Development Index. About 70% of the population of 250,000 live on remote islands or in rural areas, with few services and limited access to clean drinking water, transport or electricity. About three quarters of the population derive their income from agriculture, fisheries and forestry.
