Caritas Breaks Quarter Million in Tsunami Appeal

Caritas Breaks Quarter Million in Pacific Tsunami Appeal

Four weeks after the devastating tsunami that killed almost 200 hundred people in Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has received more than $250,000 in a generous response from New Zealanders giving to the relief effort.

Caritas Director Mike Smith said the New Zealand Catholic aid agency was thrilled with the generosity shown by so many New Zealanders. “We are continuing to work through our sister organisations Caritas Samoa and Caritas Tonga in the places most severely affected.”

Caritas Samoa has strong links with priests and church workers at the community level. It has been working at individual family level in providing aid and assistance, not village level. “People can rest assured that aid distributed by Caritas Samoa is getting through where it is needed most,” said Mr Smith.

Caritas Samoa is focusing on three of the most affected villages of Satitoa, Salea-Aumua and Poutasi on the south side of Upolu island. As arranged with the Samoan government, Caritas Samoa is leading shelter provision. Houses being rebuilt through Caritas Samoa will be offered as a Samoan style fale with an adjacent bathroom. Rebuilding of houses in Poutasi was due to start this week. Caritas Samoa has also been working in the provision of food and water, supporting children back into school, and counselling.

In Tonga, Caritas Tonga has focused on trauma counselling for affected families in Niua Toputapu, where nearly 500 people were affected by the tsunami. Lead counsellor Fr Seluini 'Akau'ola recently took a number of youths who were afraid of the sea as a result of the tsunami, to the sea. There, he had them beat the sea with a stick, then shake hands with it, in a make-up gesture.

“This was a surprisingly excellent move in the rehabilitation process for these young people - they were last seen enjoying the sea,” said Mr Smith.
Donations to Caritas’ Pacific Tsunami Appeal can still be made by:
• Phoning 0800 22 10 22 to make credit card donations or
• Phoning 0900 4 11 11 to make an automatic $20 donation on your phone bill.
• Donating online using a credit card at www.caritas.org.nz or
• Posting to Caritas, PO Box 12193, Thorndon, Wellington 6144, New Zealand.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is a member of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 165 Catholic aid, development and social justice agencies active in over 200 countries and territories.

ENDS

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