Help Yadua rebuild after Cyclone Yasa
Donation protected
The night of December 17, 2020 was filled with terror as a small village on Yadua island in Fiji was levelled by Cyclone Yasa. Wind speeds reached 255 kph as the evacuation center (aka the village school) collapsed on its inhabitants killing one man. This was a catastrophic CATEGORY 5 Super Cyclone that devastated Fiji and it demolished the village of a friend of ours.
We're asking for help raising funds to buy building materials to rebuild the homes of the villagers. There isn't enough government or NGO support to go around and unfortunately help is not arriving quickly enough. Our friends are suffering.
The wonderful people at gofundme have asked that we be specific about the needs of the village... so here goes: 17 houses (half of the village) were completely destroyed. By scavenging and recycling building materials, 2 of the houses were rebuilt. That leaves 15 houses to go! The families are crowding in with neighbours and living under tarps until we can get some help to them. In order to rebuild each house, they've asked for the following building materials: 22 sheets of roofing iron, 200 running meters of 4x2s, lots of nails, strapping and roofing nails and screws... this costs roughly $1,250 CDN or $890 USD per house. Our friends at Yacht Aid Global have kindly offered to deliver all the materials to this remote island so all the donations will go to rebuilding the village and not spent on fuel for their tiny boat to go back and forth.
Our attachment to this particular village is personal and their story since the cyclone is below. If you aren't able to donate, please can you share their story with others?
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Around 6 months ago, we visited a tiny island called Yadua to see a rare and endangered Fijian iguana (a little covid lockdown restlessness inspired a local field trip). These stunning iguanas are a symbol of patience, understanding and kindness. The Fiji National Trust coupled with generations of Yadua villagers protect the iguana from poachers and unaccompanied tourists.
We were warmly welcomed by the chief of the village and stayed over with Auntie Kesa in the village. Everyone was so welcoming taking us on a tour and our friend the Iguana Ranger (awesome job title) Eroni was tireless in making sure we had a great visit!
That tree narrowly missed the house we stayed at during our visit.
Unfortunately Yadua took a direct hit from cyclone Yasa. They lost 17 houses, the school house was their designated evacuation center, but it collapsed during the storm forcing families to hide under the floor for three hours as the storm raged on with 255kph winds. The Fijian army coupled with the Australian army have only just arrived this week to help rebuild. They've informed the village that they will only rebuild the school and leave. The families that have lost their homes are to continue making due with tarpaulins donated by the Red Cross nearly a month ago.
What's left of the school...
Personal solar systems are trashed. The NGO that provided the village solar system is trying to make repairs, but for now they are still without power. Their one generator was running full time trying to clear the debris from the well. All the rain water capture systems were full of salt water from the storm and they didn't have any rain for two weeks after the storm. Thankfully, the well is now clear and fresh water is available again. Immediately after the storm, the government loaded up a private super yacht with food and sent it over. Eroni reports that they're okay for food now.
Then there was us, with our little contribution. A few friends quickly pulled together $2,500 FJD worth of donations. On Boxing Day we delivered some food, household supplies, fuel, tools and building materials... we weren’t sure what to bring but were assured everything was very useful. For example, in the storm people grab their clothes before running to the evacuation center, but not their bedding... which was all blown out to sea... so the sheets and blankets were appreciated... the cane knives (machete) were useful so they could replant their crops which were decimated... fuel to get to the mainland to get supplies... anyway it was all very appreciated. We were all expecting more help to come... but it hasn't.
The most important donation was building materials. They continue to be critical. Two houses were rebuilt with gear we provided and by collecting any usable pieces of roofing iron and wood they could find. That leaves 15 houses without basic building materials. They need 4x2s and roofing iron, roofing nails and screws, regular nails, more hammers, more cane knives, more strapping and clout tacks... and that's why we're trying to raise funds.
All help is GREATLY appreciated!!
We're asking for help raising funds to buy building materials to rebuild the homes of the villagers. There isn't enough government or NGO support to go around and unfortunately help is not arriving quickly enough. Our friends are suffering.
The wonderful people at gofundme have asked that we be specific about the needs of the village... so here goes: 17 houses (half of the village) were completely destroyed. By scavenging and recycling building materials, 2 of the houses were rebuilt. That leaves 15 houses to go! The families are crowding in with neighbours and living under tarps until we can get some help to them. In order to rebuild each house, they've asked for the following building materials: 22 sheets of roofing iron, 200 running meters of 4x2s, lots of nails, strapping and roofing nails and screws... this costs roughly $1,250 CDN or $890 USD per house. Our friends at Yacht Aid Global have kindly offered to deliver all the materials to this remote island so all the donations will go to rebuilding the village and not spent on fuel for their tiny boat to go back and forth.
Our attachment to this particular village is personal and their story since the cyclone is below. If you aren't able to donate, please can you share their story with others?
-------------------------------------------
Around 6 months ago, we visited a tiny island called Yadua to see a rare and endangered Fijian iguana (a little covid lockdown restlessness inspired a local field trip). These stunning iguanas are a symbol of patience, understanding and kindness. The Fiji National Trust coupled with generations of Yadua villagers protect the iguana from poachers and unaccompanied tourists.
We were warmly welcomed by the chief of the village and stayed over with Auntie Kesa in the village. Everyone was so welcoming taking us on a tour and our friend the Iguana Ranger (awesome job title) Eroni was tireless in making sure we had a great visit!
That tree narrowly missed the house we stayed at during our visit.
Unfortunately Yadua took a direct hit from cyclone Yasa. They lost 17 houses, the school house was their designated evacuation center, but it collapsed during the storm forcing families to hide under the floor for three hours as the storm raged on with 255kph winds. The Fijian army coupled with the Australian army have only just arrived this week to help rebuild. They've informed the village that they will only rebuild the school and leave. The families that have lost their homes are to continue making due with tarpaulins donated by the Red Cross nearly a month ago.
What's left of the school...
Personal solar systems are trashed. The NGO that provided the village solar system is trying to make repairs, but for now they are still without power. Their one generator was running full time trying to clear the debris from the well. All the rain water capture systems were full of salt water from the storm and they didn't have any rain for two weeks after the storm. Thankfully, the well is now clear and fresh water is available again. Immediately after the storm, the government loaded up a private super yacht with food and sent it over. Eroni reports that they're okay for food now.
Then there was us, with our little contribution. A few friends quickly pulled together $2,500 FJD worth of donations. On Boxing Day we delivered some food, household supplies, fuel, tools and building materials... we weren’t sure what to bring but were assured everything was very useful. For example, in the storm people grab their clothes before running to the evacuation center, but not their bedding... which was all blown out to sea... so the sheets and blankets were appreciated... the cane knives (machete) were useful so they could replant their crops which were decimated... fuel to get to the mainland to get supplies... anyway it was all very appreciated. We were all expecting more help to come... but it hasn't.
The most important donation was building materials. They continue to be critical. Two houses were rebuilt with gear we provided and by collecting any usable pieces of roofing iron and wood they could find. That leaves 15 houses without basic building materials. They need 4x2s and roofing iron, roofing nails and screws, regular nails, more hammers, more cane knives, more strapping and clout tacks... and that's why we're trying to raise funds.
All help is GREATLY appreciated!!
Organizer
Bonnie Banerjee
Organizer
Mississauga, ON