Six months after Cyclone Pam: Rebuilding, regrowing and restoring Vanuatu

Six months after Cyclone Pam devastated Vanuatu, World Vision has assisted more than 55,000 people to access food and essential household items like tarpaulins, kitchen sets and hygiene kits.

“World Vision began its emergency response as soon as possible. With most of our staff living in communities, we were well placed to respond to immediate needs. World Vision’s response has been very much led by our local staff,” said Michael Wolfe, World Vision Vanuatu’s Country Director.

"With most of our staff living in communities, we were well placed to respond to immediate needs."

On the island of Tanna – one of the islands most affected by Cyclone Pam – World Vision has supported the Government of Vanuatu to distribute emergency food aid, seeds and tools. In addition, thousands of households have been given items like soap, diapers (nappies), cooking pots, spades and tarpaulins.

World Vision supported more than 80 pre-schools and primary schools with emergency school kits, to help replace items like exercise books and markers destroyed by the cyclone.

World Vision also partnered with the Ministry of Health and UNICEF to immunise more than 6,000 children on Tanna against measles, helping to reduce the spread of disease to some of the cyclone’s smallest and most vulnerable survivors.  Deworming and vitamin tablets were also issued.

It's a long journey to recovery and World Vision is committed to continuing to help the people of Vanuatu

Despite the progress made in Vanuatu, Mr Wolfe said it remained a long journey to recovery and World Vision was committed to continue helping the people of Vanuatu, in partnership with government.

On Pentecost and Tanna, the World Vision teams have been repairing latrines, rehabilitating water sources and providing tanks, particularly to schools whose access to water was damaged during the cyclone. This is particularly important with the projected impact of El Nino.

“Although we have completed emergency distributions to supply people with basic items that they lost during the cyclone, our focus is on the long term recovery. For World Vision, this means working with communities to further strengthen their resilience,” Mr Wolfe said.

World Vision’s response has been supported by the Governments of Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada, the Netherlands and the United States, and the generosity of World Vision supporters globally.

For more information or to interview Mr Michael Wolfe or Chloe Morrison please contact: World Vision Vanuatu Emergency Communications Officer, Chloe Morrison +678-543-6518.