ActionAid spends over VT1 million on women-driven disaster relief in East Efate

Jan 10, 2025 | News | 0

ActionAid Vanuatu, in collaboration with its partner organisation, Women I Tok Tok Tugeta (WITTT), has spent VT1,094,000 over ten days distributing essential supplies to communities in Port Vila. The initiative highlights the power of women-led disaster preparedness and response.

Rossette Kalmet, Programme Manager for ActionAid Vanuatu, explained the unique approach taken: “Our food basket is different from any other food basket. For the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FSAC), they only provide dry rations, which are food from the shop. But for us, we provide dry rations with greens (vegetables), local food, plus some nuts to complete the nutrition.”

The food baskets distributed came directly from WITTT members in East Efate, a testament to the community’s proactive disaster planning.

“Prior to every cyclone season, we encourage mothers to plant at least three gardens, with one specifically designated as a disaster garden. This garden is to be harvested during times of disaster,” said Kalmet.

This system not only ensures food security but also builds resilience. “The specific garden will be harvested during a disaster and will respond to any sister—sisters in the northern or southern parts of the country at places we operate in. They can send these packages by ship to affected areas,” she added.

In this particular response, the focus remained on Efate itself. Women prepared the baskets, which ActionAid purchased for VT2,000 per basket. Each one brought her basket and returned home with the payment, creating an economic benefit.

“Inside the basket, we have bananas, manioc, taro, pawpaw, navel (nuts), peanuts, greens like capsicum, and island cabbage—everything in the basket balances the dry rations distributed with it. So, it’s not like dry rations from the shop,” Kalmet explained.

These balanced packages, designed to last one to two weeks, serve a dual purpose: alleviating immediate stress while lowering the risk of community violence and helping families regain their footing post-disaster.

Kalmet emphasised the impact of the initiative. “This time around, it happened in Efate, so they are responding by bringing in food, and we pay the food back to them,” she said.

“Every mother came in with baskets of food, and it cost around VT2,000 per basket.

“This way, we support them economically while addressing the community’s nutritional and emotional needs.”

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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