Norfolk Connects with the South Pacific
By Susannah Wood

On March 13, a category five typhoon with winds of 165 mph landed right on top of Vanuatu, a South Pacific republic about 8,600 miles from Norfolk, Conn.  The typhoon flattened most of the structures on this archipelago of 86 islands, killing 11, injuring more than 75,000, and leaving thousands of people without shelter and food. A third of the globe separates our town from those islanders. It can be difficult to feel more than passing compassion for their troubles, but two local connections have brought their plight closer to home, joining the power of human energy and empathy with the speed of internet communication.

Hope Childs’s niece, Victoria MacLean, runs a resort one of Vanuatu’s islands, Efate. She and her husband, Frederick, immediately set to work helping the surrounding communities with supplies of food, water and medicine. While there were no fatalities locally, houses and gardens were wiped out, and supplies of drinking water quickly exhausted. With river water unsafe to drink, children soon came down with diarrhea. Aid from the outside and from the government proved slow to arrive and spotty during the first weeks after the typhoon. Using the “gofundme” crowd-funding site, they quickly raised $50,000, pledging it all to aid, and then coordinated with the villagers to set up a distribution system that expanded to include some of the nearby islands.

At the same time, Sarah Hannafin, daughter of Larry Hannafin and Sally Carr, was on a field visit in the Philippines wondering how her organization could help in Vanuatu. Hannafin is the Director of Engagement with All Hands Volunteers, which puts people the ground to work on reconstruction in the wake of disasters. It focuses less on immediate relief than on rebuilding communities after the media has turned its attention to the next big story. Founded in 2004 after the tsunami in southeast Asia, its volunteers have traveled all over the world and the U.S. to clear debris, rebuild homes and school, plant trees—to do whatever needs to be done. They keep at it years after the event. Through the Norfolk internet network of friends and family, Hannafin found out about the MacLeans’ efforts and was impressed by the scope of their efforts. She was able to put an assessment team in touch with them. They hope to be working together to restore and improve the infrastructure of the devastated communities. There are plans for a medical clinic, new wells and solar pumps, and rebuilding two schools. The Macleans need to raise additional money to help fund their ambitious long-range plans.

To donate to either of these organizations:
Havannah Cyclone Pam Emergency Aid: http://gofundme.com/pd5ft4

All Hands Volunteers: hands.org (You can designate your contribution to Vanuatu. If for some reason, All Hands ends up not working on this project they will make sure the money stays in Vanuatu.)