October visit to Tanna. El-Nino coming!
28 October 2015Open Letter to Hon Murray McCully (Minister of Foreign Affairs.)
Overview!
I am writing to you to ask if you were able to assist us with a water crisis solution that we are working on concerning the Island of Tanna, South of Port Vila, Vanuatu. You may be aware of the current issues that have occurred since the Islands were hit earlier this year by Hurricane Pam. The last two months has seen little rain on Tanna and new crops that were planted after hurricane Pam have suffered and many have died. United Nations have already been bracing themselves for what they are calling a humanitarian crisis. They have forecast the next six months as being some of the driest months recorded.
Most if not all of the international aid agencies have been and are still working very hard to assist where they can.
OAC Ministries, Fruit of the Pacific, and Te Puke Baptist church have teamed together and have been busy raising funds and gathering skilled teams to help, specifically, the Island of Tanna. The population of Tanna is estimated at 30,000. Our focus is assistance with water solutions in 20 different areas on Tanna. Water projects have been done recently and are currently being done by various other volunteer and Aid groups. This is a big task and has been a slow process.
We have just come back from Tanna (our second visit to the Island) after meeting with local and national government officials who have signed off our current project. We took one of Water Solutions technicians and consultants with us so that we could future proof the work being done. We are also liaising with ADRA, CARE and USAid who may assist us where needed at ground zero. Local Chiefs and leaders have also been consulted and seem very encouraged to have some help, hopefully coming.
At this stage we are working in one of the 20 areas that have been affected by both the Hurricane and current El Nino weather patterns. This being the Lamanaruan, Kings Cross area. Our plan is to replace broken pipes, extend pipes to villages and compounds that have not had water supply for up to four years. This will involve some seven kilometres of pipe with six kilometres needing to be buried, installing a 100,000 litre tank, three 10,000 litre back tanks and twenty 1,100 litre storage tanks in the villages and compounds where needed. Supplying fittings such as taps, stop valves and meters.
Why Tanna?
The reason for us and our focus on Tanna is primarily because of the hundreds of workers that come to our region, the BOP, every year to assist with the kiwifruit harvest. Most of the workers that come to NZ have been here year after year and many of them have become like family. The UN warns this year's El Nino system could rival the 1997 impact on Vanuatu.
How can you help?
What we are asking is for an Air Force plane that would transport: tanks, pipes, fittings, trenching tractor, well bore, food and other equipment from NZ to the airstrip on Tanna. Seven kilometres of 63ml water pipe which will take up 40 + cubic metres and all of the equipment, tanks and fittings and tools to assemble and complete this endeavour. We are estimating a total of one hundred cubic metres of freight. We are wanting to start this project within the next 30 days.
What we will do?
We will provide teams and transport to relocate equipment to where it is needed around the island.
We have been raising funds and motivating teams with the right skills who will travel to the region to help with this current project and those in other parts of the Island. We need to make sure that the needed equipment arrives before the team arrives. I have been five times to Vanuatu and twice to the Island of Tanna, much has changed over this time. Your thoughts will be appreciated.
The situation on Tanna has passed the urgent stage and has now become critical, many are minimising what has and is happening in this region. I do realise that the Air Force has been involved already with assistance in Vanuatu, but more help is needed..
We have a highly skilled team ready to go and assist. Please help us make it happen.