Relief Fund for Malo & Aore, Vanuatu

UPDATE: Some funds have been paid out and have delivered building supplies to West Malo (pics below). Doing East Malo (more populated) next and with food as the aid food will have run out by then.

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My name is James Frick and I work as a lab scientist for a kava exporter in Luganville, Santo Island, Sanma province, Vanuatu. I live on and commute from Aore Island every day.

Around midday on 06/04/2020, category 5 tropical cyclone Harold passed over us (South Santo, Aore, Malo) and flattened everything that stood in the way.

The local buildings/nakamals are generally made with open eaves and natangora (woven/thatched palm leaf) roofs. Almost all of these buildings were destroyed when Harold passed over us. Of the 2 villages I've had time to visit so far there is next to nothing left standing. I've added some pics below.

The locals are now in a position where they have very little income (tourism has finished due to Covid and farmers' crop losses are huge), no shelters to sleep in (plus no shade due to foliage loss - it's insanely hot), very little food (all gardens and fruit trees have been killed), and insufficient supplies to rebuild. No one in North Vanuatu has ever seen something like this before. Cyclone Pam in 2015 was in the South, on Efate where the capital Port Vila lies. You ask the Chiefs and seniors of the community and they will tell you they've never experienced anything like this.

Supplies will be purchased locally or, if sold out, shipped in from Port Vila. Sooner we can get stuff the better as the army, NDMO and public works have a massive task on their hands across multiple islands.

There is now an Aore Action group co-ordinating rebuild from septic systems to food distribution and shelter building. I have a background in building, events, and civil works, and will be as useful as I can. The team of expats and locals on Aore, some with experience in disaster relief, will aid in distribution to villages on Aore and Malo.