The following is an excerpt from the Rotary New Zealand World Community Service newsletter for July 2011. This newsletter also includes topics such as:
- Non-Government Disaster Relief Forum cooperation adds value
- Emergency Relief Kits packing draws more student help
- Five new projects receive NZ-0Government's Sustainable Development Fund approval
- and much more
A copy of this newsletter will sortly be available via www.rnzwcs.org.nz
[Excerpt]
Rotary New Zealand has such a long history of providing assistance to overseas disasters, and large-scale New Zealand disasters are so mercifully infrequent, that we simply didn’t expect to see the situation reversed. This time last year, who imagined that we would have our own ‘New Orleans-scale’ disaster?
The past nine months in Canterbury have challenged both many Rotarians personally, and our organisation, in ways that we did not anticipate. Homelessness, dispossession, psychological stress, hunger, cold – all common characteristics of overseas disasters for so long, and now common situations in the New Zealand’s second largest city. However, sitting around feeling sorry is no part of Rotary’s outlook. Within hours of the initial 22 September quake, Rotary New Zealand was involved in the following activities:
· Establishing an appeal, that has raised over $1.7million to date.
· In association with Salvation Army, delivering food to residents without power,
· water or sanitation.
· Linking families with families in other parts of New Zealand to enable them to
· spend some time recuperating away from the aftershocks.
· Rotarians from other parts of New Zealand providing caravans and mobile
· homes to people whose homes are uninhabitable (a District 9980 initiative).
· Through the NDRF (NGO Disaster Relief Forum), of which RNZWCS is a
· member, meeting regularly with forum members to plan strategy and
· cooperation.
· Seeking warehouse space (medium to long term) to be shared by various
· NGO's for storage rehabilitation resources following earthquake.
· Seeking people with experience in caring for the disabled and accessible accommodation (short to medium term) for the disabled.