Rotary New Zealand has been quick to respond to the Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Emergency
250 ERKs have been offered if RNZWCS gets a request from District 3860 either direct or via Australia.
They have been in touch with Aqua Box (Australian equivalent of ERKs) and they like Disaster Aid Australia are also in contact and will respond to a request.
RNZWCS an agreement with Aqua Box that they will back them up and vice versa if we exhaust supplies when cyclones hit our Pacific neighbours.
RNZWCS is running an appeal through the website www.rnzwcs.org.nz (not for ERK’s but for immediate response – see below) and NZ DG’s have been asked to pass down to clubs to support. Funds collected will be directed to the 3860 region. On this occasion it is funds for the general appeal that will be most use and not ERK’s which can be sent from existing stock if they are called on. An email put out by DG 3860 clearly says the need is for cash from Rotarians.
RNZWCS has responded through MFAT for a specific request - The request came on Wednesday for tents and due to a very generous donation from an Auckland Supplier, we had 6 pallet loads of gear (three roomed tents valued at $110,000) on Thursday’s Royal New Zealand Air Force flight in Rotary’s name.
The funds raised from the RNZWCS appeal will be used for First Phase emergency response, distributing food, water, clothing, blankets and medicines. The Second Phase will move to include low budget temporary shelters made of locally sourced materials. Third phase will be to build more permanent housing structures, repair school infrastructure e.g. classrooms, provide school supplies and improve livelihoods.
Click Here to watch as Rotary District
Governor John Rickard and ShelterBox Response Team member Arnold Kelly talk
about the Typhoon Haiyan Emergency Appeal on “Canterbury Life” by
Canterbury Television
