Tu'ifua 'Akau'ola, Aloma Johansson and Sione Taumoefolau

Tongans in Melbourne have donated $7,150 pa’anga to Tonga’s Red Cross to assist with the ongoing relief efforts in Ha’apai following Tropical Cyclone Ian.

Tu’ifua ‘Akau’ola a radio announcer from a Tongan radio program 'Kalauni Siueli ‘o e Pasifiki' in Melbourne presented the cheque to Aloma Johansson, the Tonga Red Cross Treasurer, on February 24, in Nuku'alofa.

The money was raised through a radiothon held on the Tongan program broadcasted on 3WBC 94.1 FM every Friday. 

“We appealed for assistance and the Tongans that listened to our program in Melbourne quickly responded and donated the money and a few Tongans from Sydney also helped,” said Tu'ifua.

She said their donation is to assist the Tonga Red Cross address the pressing needs on the outer island, she said.

Clean-water

Sione Taumoefolau the Secretary-General of the Tonga Red Cross thanked the Tongan community in Melbourne for their donation.

He said the donation was timely and would be used to purchase guttering kits to collect clean rain water. “New Zealand has greatly assisted in buying the uttering kits but this money would be used to buy more to be distributed to the homes affected,” he said.