March 16, 2015
All We Can has pledged its support after tropical Cyclone Pam hit the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu over the weekend, wiping out infrastructure and leaving thousands of people homeless.
Vanuatu is one of the world’s least developed countries and highly vulnerable to natural disasters. It has a population of around 250,000 spread over 65 islands. Many of them are currently unreachable. At least eight people are currently reported to have been killed, but it is feared the death toll will rise sharply as rescuers reach outlying islands.
Vanuatu’s President, Baldwin Lonsdale, who linked the cyclone to climate change, said that it had “wiped out” the development of recent years. The United Nations has stated that Cyclone Pam could be one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the Pacific.
All We Can is making an immediate initial grant of £10,000 for relief efforts through its emergency aid partner, the Act Alliance, and has opened an emergency appeal. This will help provide lifesaving services including shelter, food, medical assistance, water and sanitation. We will be keeping the situation under review, as a longer term response may be required for rebuilding and re-establishing basic infrastructure, homes, schools and livelihoods.
All images courtesy of All We Can’s ACT Alliance partner, Act for Peace.
