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Pacific Pathways is helping Futuna Island in Vanuatu after cyclones Judy & Kevin made landfall last week !

  • Futuna Island - Rebuild Ipau Community Fish Market House

      5 May 2023
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    Futuna Island cyclone recovery project:

    Rebuild Ipau community Fish Market House

    We have been in discussions with the Area Administrator for Futuna, Isso Nihemei to find out how we can help the communities recover and rebuild. Isso, acknowledges the help they have been receiving from the larger NGOs with immediate response: food, water, medical items. After discussions with the communities, the request was for help to rebuild the Community Fish Market House in Ipau Village.

    Isso …. “The fish market house, is very important as it stores the fresh fish caught daily. It is a means for income and has made a huge difference for the people of Futuna by keeping the villagers healthy and reduces health issues which was confirm by our local nurse.”

    Pacific Pathways – Rebuild Ipau community Fish Market House

    With the funds raised through our Give a Little page and donations from Dunedin Harbour Rotary and Garden City Christchurch Rotary, we will purchase the building materials needed to repair the building & replace the roof. We will also replace the damaged solar panels, battery & invertor. Fortunately, the deep freeze survived.

    To share with you a story from Isso, about life on Futuna and the importance of the Fish Market House.

    Ipau Village has the biggest population of Futuna with a total of 141 Indigenous residents with 30 households. This village is the business centre for the island where the Area Council office, dispensary and Tafarere airstrip are located. All the people around the island walk to Ipau Village to access these facilities, there are no roads or vehicle on Futuna.

    The people of Ipau are sometimes called, the 'Tama bau' or ‘the people of the sea’ because of their fishing expertise. They spend almost everyday fishing in their boats and canoes and others using traditional fishing techniques such 'bamboo fishing', netting and spearfishing. The fish caught feeds almost half of the population in Futuna. The people of Futuna, recognise the importance of ‘fish’ as a good protein for the family diet and half of their income comes from their fishing activities.

    The community Fish Market house was set up in 2000 with help from: Vanuatu Fisheries Department and the Vanuatu Climate Adaptation Program (VCAP) to support Ipau Fishermen and the community of Ipau. The purpose of this program is to:

    1. Eliminate food imports to the island specifically tin items (tuna, fish etc)

    2. Promote sustainable local/traditional food grown, in their gardens.

    3. The freezer is storage and backup for the Ipauans during bad weather.

    4. It helps to provide a sustainable supply of fresh fish for the people of Futuna.

    5. Excess is exported to Port Vila & Tanna, which creates an income for the people of Futuna.

    And how it all works:

    The village council manage the fish market. This committee purchase fish directly from local fisherman per kilo's then sell the fish at an affordable price to the customers. The fish price must be less than the tin items from shop to encourage the people of Futuna to buy local fresh fish rather than imported tin food items. Well done, Futuna!

    Pacific Pathways would like to thank you all for your support, which has made this all possible.We also pass on the thanks and warm appreciation from the people of Futuna. We look forward to sharing this journey with you, as we plan to visit Futuna later this year.

    Pacific Pathways helping those on the path less travelled.

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  • Vanuatu ‘Response and Recovery’ after Cyclones Judy & Kevin.

      4 April 2023
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    Vanuatu ‘Response and Recovery’ after Cyclones Judy & Kevin.

    To share with you some of the stories about the ‘Response & Recovery’ activities taking place in Vanuatu to help the communities in Vanuatu.

    We are currently in New Zealand, but I am in touch with my friend from Futuna and, also the Area Council Secretary for Futuna. Once the donations with Give A Little are released, I will get direction from the Area Secretary with regards to the situation on Futuna and the need(s), to ensure our help is meaningful and makes a difference.

    CARE an Australian International Humanitarian Organisation is delegated to help Futuna. They have an officer on the ground who is working with the Area Secretary and community representatives. Earlier in March, the CARE Vanuatu Logistics Team and volunteers in Tanna loaded Air Taxi Charter flights to Futuna and Aneityum with: Shelter kits, farm kits and tool kits, making two trips to Futuna and three to Aneitym to help the affected communities. At the time the sea was too rough for the resources to be delivered by ship.

    CARE have been working with the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), the Vanuatu Mobile Force, local police, and the Ibau Community Disaster and Climate Change Committee (CDCCC) to distribute emergency food and other essential supplies in Futuna. These items were transported with thanks to the Australian Defence force helicopter. Futuna families living in Efate and Tanna along with the NDMO provided some of the supplies. The Futuna Emergency Operations Centre has sent the supplies to the island's six main communities: Ibay, Matagi, Iasoa, Ihlunga, Tarumara, and Ishia.

    New Zealand Red Cross

    Delivered : Information Technology and Communication Response Kits

    `And a “Tankyu Tumas” ( Thank you) to New Zealand Red Cross for their swift support in restoring essential services to operate our Emergency Operations Communication network, while Port Vila’s power and internet were down and still being restored. With the assistance of NZRC and its volunteers, power and internet was, set up within days after the two cyclones Judy & Kevin.

    “We were out of power, out of internet, with no communications at all with our Red Cross branches on the islands. But once the specialist team restored connections, our people are now reporting on the needs of vulnerable people, and we’re able to organise and send them appropriate relief as soon as possible,” says Augustine Garae, Vanuatu Red Cross’ Disaster Management Co-ordinator.

    Vanuatu Red Cross Society

    As mandated by our Constitution, we make it our priority to respond our most vulnerable communities in Vanuatu that were affected by TC Judy & TC Kevin. Here is an updated infographic, which you will see in the photos with this post. Which shows VRCS response in the month of March 2023, in partnership with NDMO and other partners. More information can be found on our website at: https://vanuaturedcross.squarespace.com/tc-judy-tc-kevin

    The Government(s) of : Vanuatu, Australia, New Zealand and the UK and provincial partners

    On Futuna, a delegation of provincial partners led by Prime Minister R Kalsakau came to visit the community and deliver much needed support following the twin cyclones.

    A team of Australian Defence Force engineers were stationed on Futuna to make repairs to the police station, medical centre, church and more. Prime Minister Kalsakau, Minister of Youth Development and Sports Netvunei and MP Napuat delivered four tonnes of food to Futuna. Australia was pleased to deliver these vital supplies using our chinooks.

    Department of Water Resources, Vanuatu: WASH (Water, Sanitation & Health) teams were deployed to manage water filter distribution to ensure clean water for the communities on :Tanna, Aniwa, Aneityum and Futuna.

    The Area Secretary and the communities of Futuna share a “Tankyu Tumas” (Thank you very much) for the generous support from CARE, UNICEF, MFAT and DFAT, Australian Army and Navy, NDMO, DOWR, NZ Red Cross, Vanuatu Red Cross and other provincial partners.

    Again, Pacific Pathways thank you for your support and generous donations.

    We will be in touch again to share with you our movement going forward as we ‘together’ help the people of Futuna.

    Warm regards

    Sue & David

    Pacific Pathways

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  • Thankyou for your support so far

      21 March 2023
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    As they say a ‘picture speaks louder than words’!

    To share with you a video I have received from Futuna which tells their story, very moving. ( link below)

    Cyclone Judy & Kevin ‘Response’ – update:

    To give you an update on how the ‘response’ operation is evolving in Port Vila.

    The capability for immediate relief is available for the ‘response operation’ especially with the assistance of the large team from HMAS Canberra, MFAT and the NZ Defence personnel, Fiji military, the French navy ship, and HELPR-1.

    With regards to the situation on Futuna Island, Tafae Province:

    Houses: Over 50 % of the houses have been damaged or flattened completely. Shelter & emergency supplies have been distributed.

    The Medical Centre/ Dispensary: has suffered major damage, UNICEF have sent down a tent to set up a temporary centre. Engineers & builders from HMAs Canberra are in country for the next 6-8 weeks, to help in these areas.

    Medical supplies: A shipment of meds for the Tafea outer islands was sent out last week.

    Emergency medical team - the HELPR-1 motor vessel will be leaving for Tafea this Saturday with a medical team, to provide services to the whole of Tafea province.

    Food rations: were shipped last week directly for the smaller islands of: Aniwa, Futuna & Aneityum.

    Pacific Pathways, thank all the international & national NGO’s & the foreign governments for their support on the ground, helping the people of Vanuatu.

    We thank you for your support. With the funds raised Pacific Pathways will set up an initiative to help the ‘Families First’ on Futuna Island.

    We thank you for making this possible.

    Warm regards

    Sue & David

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