People of Naividamu in Macuata who were devastated by TC Yasa have a reason to smile today after receiving assistance to support their livelihood from the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Fiji.
This is part of the immediate response under the TC Yasa Food Security and Sustainable Livelihood Project supported by the New Zealand Aid Programme. NZ Aid is partnering with ADRA Fiji to assist close to 700 households in 15 affected communities in the coastal areas of Macuata.
Households will benefit from the multipurpose cash injected for livelihood support, giving the affected communities the dignity and freedom to determine themselves what their most pressing and immediate needs are.
Today, the New Zealand High Commission, Suva, Fiji Counsellor Development, Ms Virgnia Dawson visited Naividamu to see how this community of 46 households has recovered from the cyclone.
She got to hear how the earlier communal cash assistance given as part of this project had benefited the village after it was used to purchase nails, strappings, construction tools and other building necessities to help in rebuilding homes.A total of 26 homes were damaged by the TC Yasa.
Ms. Dawson also witnessed the individual cash assistance distribution by ADRA Fiji to support their food security and livelihoods.
ADRA Fiji Country Director Iliapi Tuwai said it was unfortunate that in the midst of the response, TC Ana struck again in the North. It not only delayed the response work on the ground but further affected the targeted communities.He explained that the immediate intervention through the project also focused on debris management and clean up within the communities and promoted community social cohesion with the main objective of saving lives and livelihoods of TC Yasa affected communities in Macuata.
“Communities were supplied with chainsaws to help with Debris and Immediate communal clean-up to address the imminent health risks of leptospirosis, typhoid, dengue and diarrhoea (LTDD). These affected communities also utilised the opportunity to rebuild their damaged homes from the uprooted plants,” Mr. Tuwai said.
“We are rebuilding homes from the timber we ripped from the fallen trees. This is made possible through the chainsaws given as part of the project. For now we have completed repairing damaged homes and we have rebuilt those that were destroyed. We are only left with two homes to complete and sincerely thank ADRA Fiji and the NZ Government for their support in helping us to rebuild our lives after the cyclone,” Village Elder Ropate Rawaqa said.
“We are rebuilding homes from the timber we ripped from the fallen trees. This is made possible through the chainsaws given as part of the project. For now we have completed repairing damaged homes and we have rebuilt those that were destroyed. We are only left with two homes to complete and sincerely thank ADRA Fiji and the NZ Government for their support in helping us to rebuild our lives after the cyclone,” Village Elder Ropate Rawaqa said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tuwai is grateful to the NZ Aid Programme for injecting extra aid assistance to compliment the TC Yasa Food Security and Livelihood project for immediate response. The Strengthening of Early Recovery and Food Security (SERFSAL) supports recovery and will end in December.
