The National Disaster Relief Forum (NDRF) comprises a number of NGO groups (World Vision, Tearfund, ADRA, Save the Children, Christian World Service, Oxfam, Cbm etc and RNZWCS) Rotary has been represented on NDRF since its inception by PDG Stuart Batty on behalf of RNZWCS. NDRF also has links back into the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) through Jamila Homayun who is NGO Liaison & Disaster Coordinator at Council for International Development (CIDS) which Stuart has an association with.
In the immediate months post ‘the Feb 22nd earthquakes’ both Stuart and Ross Skinner attended NDRF meetings, sometimes several per week initially, where various immediate response focuses and needs were discussed amongst the agencies. DG Margaret Reeve also attended several of those meetings. Stuart has continued to attend monthly meetings as the initial response needs have become less.
Throughout the disaster and post-disaster recovery, the various agencies have co-operated and worked together for common goals which isn’t often prevalent in aid response internationally, where often there are competing agencies and rivalries. In addition, much of this work has occurred without constant publicity.
To illustrate this, in The Press of last weekend, Greg Jackson of CWS (who has handled media relations on behalf of the NDRF Earthquake Response Group in Christchurch) said in his article: ‘My own favourite example of how it worked in practise was the Linwood Avenue Salvation Army Warehouse food-relief operation. There we kept an overall eye on the operation, while World Vision supplied logistics staff, the Sallies sourced and packed the food which was then delivered by Rotary volunteers using their own vehicles.
Another excerpt in the article reads:
‘Rotary have proved to be one of the bedrock community groups who have provided quiet, efficient support to the relief and recovery effort. If people needed a truck, Rotary found it. If people needed holidays, Rotary brokered it. Local, national and International Rotary support for Christchurch relief efforts have been huge.’