Emergency Relief for Fiji After Cyclone Winston

Dear Supporters, 

On the one year anniversary of Cyclone Winston, the people of Silana Village are remembering the dramatic events of this day, 20 February 2016, 12 months ago. 

The villages of Dawasamu District were all badly affected during the category 5 cyclone which swept along the coast uprooting trees, destroying houses and scattering debris throughout the area. In the weeks following the cyclone, GVI's Community Partners in Silana worked diligently to help collect and clear rubbish and debris, particularly scrap tin, which littered the village. These same community partners then took responsibility for assisting other villages in Dawasamu District with their clean ups too.

As the weeks turned into months, members of the community slowly began to rebuild their homes and started to replant crops which were all washed away during the cyclone. With support from the government donations of food and clothes and your donations, everyone started to get back on their feet. 

As we neared 2017, the area was struck another blow, the heavy rain in December led to excessive flooding in many parts of Fiji particularly in the villages of Dawasamu. This resulted in many of the replanted crops being washed away once again. Due to volunteers' donations immediately after the cyclone, GVI was able to provide five weekly deliveries of food, including supplies of flour, sugar, rice and dhal for each family. This was greatly appreciated by the village, as governmental donations had now ceased and the damage to replanted crops had limited the food that could be harvested. 

At the present moment, times remain challenging for Silana and the other villages in Dawasamu but today is a day of remembrance and gratefulness rather than sorrow. As a mark of respect, GVI's Community Volunteers spent the morning of the anniversary of the cyclone putting up the new Silana Village sign, which replaces the previous one destroyed by Winston. The old sign, lovingly created by a previous volunteer Deborah, was held in high esteem by the village who were so proud to show others that GVI lived and worked in Silana.

The new sign is a symbol of GVI's continued partnership with Silana Village and Dawasamu District, through thick and thin, good and bad. 

We are all #StrongerThanWinston!

From all of us in Fiji, thank you for your continued and generous support over the past year!

With Gratitude, 
GVI Fiji