Caritas pledges NZD$40,000 to Tonga after Cyclone Ian [1]
Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 11:00. Updated on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 11:00.
Foa Island, Ha'apai, suffered heavy damagein Cyclone Ian, on January 11. Photo courtesy RNZAF.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has pledged NZD$40,000 to support Caritas Tonga’s response to Tropical Cyclone Ian.
“We expect significant physical and human impact as Ha‘apai is a fragile environment, already experiencing the impacts of climate change,” said Julianne Hickey, Director of Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, in a statement on January 13.
She said the New Zealand Catholic agency has worked closely with Caritas Tonga for more than a decade in emergency response and long-term development programmes.
In December, the agencies initiated an emergency water management programme in Ha‘apai to support five villages acutely affected by a four-month drought.
“We look forward to hearing the assessments of the Ha‘apai relief committees,” she said.
Sister Senolita Vakata, Director of Caritas Tonga, is coordinating with the National Emergency Management Office to plan allocation of response activities, resources, personnel and expertise, and ensure all immediate actions are coordinated safely.
Mrs Hickey said that Caritas Tonga has particular expertise in providing psychosocial support following a disaster, and Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand will support this again if the need was identified.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is accepting donations to the Caritas Pacific Cyclone Fund, which will be used to support the Caritas Tonga cyclone response.
Donations to Caritas can be made by:
• Phoning 0800 22 10 22 to make credit card donations or
• Donating online using a credit card at www.caritas.org.nz [2] or
• Posting toCaritas, PO Box 12193, Thorndon, Wellington 6144, New Zealand.
Updates on the Caritas response are available at http://www.caritas.org.nz/where-we-work/emergencies/tonga-–-tropical-cyclone-ian [3] and Facebook and Twitter.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is a member of Caritas Internationalis [4], a confederation of 165 Catholic aid, development and social justice agencies active in over 200 countries and territories.