1) Typhoon induced floods in the Philippines - extreme
2) Typhoon induced floods in the Hue area, Vietnam - severe
3) Typhoon induced floods in Cambodia - serious
4) Major earthquake in Sumatra
5) Tsunami in Samoa (and Tonga) - extreme
AMDA Canada is a relatively small Chapter of AMDA International. Its role is to support AMDA HQ efforts in disaster relief and/or seek to help directly where possible with or without the assistance of other organizations. AMDA Canada is the recipient of the local Vancouver Rose Charities resource raising efforts relating to international humanitarian disasters.
The organizers of AMDA Canada are aware that they are generally , on their own, not able to help with immediate relief to counties where there is no field involvement. However its linkage with other organizations often means that it has direct links to areas where the disaster may have stuck. In this there were connections to the Hue area in Vietnam (though the Rose Charities Sia Blind Center project), to Cambodia, (via AMDA Cambodia links ) and also through New Zealand (though AMDA and Rose Charities New Zealand) to Samoa. It was thus considered that focus of assistance for AMDA Canada should be in these areas and to the other disasters (Sumatra, Philippines) by giving support if possible to AMDA HQ efforts. Emergency funds were duly forwarded and a specific concert fundraiser for Vietnam relief organized in Vancouver where there is a big expatriate Vietnamese community.
Very strong links with NZ (New Zealand), the main aid-activity country for Samoa coupled with considerable post tsunami experience of AMDA Canada gleaned following the 2004 Asia tsunami in Kalmunai, Sri Lanka and Acheh, made our organization aware that while direct relief is initially needed, very soon after, there is a considerable need for both support materials (medications etc as local supplies tend to run out) and also for traumatic stress counseling. AMDA Canada, AMDA NZ and Rose Charities both have small networks of counselors experienced in this area and it was ascertained that Ms Liese Groot Alberts would be able to go. Contact had been made with a local Samoan grassroots organization (Women for Business Development - WIBDI) through the Christchurch Branch of Rose Charities NZ and Ms Adi their Director was from that moment on, hugely helpful in providing all information as to what was needed, where it was needed and in forwarding updates. AMDA HQ provided its usual speedy and substantial response to the request to send medical materials. Within hours two coordinators had been dispatched from Japan to liaise with AMDA NZ who started immediately looking into obtaining the required medications / drugs for transport to Apia, Samoa. It was noteworthy that AMDA NZ was able to obtain the drugs over the weekend when these events were happening.
The AMDA team consisting of Ms Lisa Groot-Alberts, Mr Nithian and another AMDA HQ coordinator and many thousands of dollars worth of drugs and medications traveled from Auckland to Apia together. On arrival they immediately went into action coordinated by Ms Adi of WBD. Drugs and medications were distributed and Ms Alberts both carried out multiple workshops to train local relief workers in post traumatic stress management as well as directly assisting those who had borne significant loss. The team worked tirelessly and were able to achieve a huge amount in a relatively shot time.
The main coordinating relief agencies in Samoa were the NZ Govt Relief Agency and Oxfam NZ. It is notable that almost as soon as the need for post-traumatic counseling had been identified AMDA had flown in a highly experienced international expert (Ms Groot-Alberts) and this was commented on very favorably. Oxfam NZ has since engaged Ms Groot-Alberts to return to Samoa to continue and expand her work.
Throughout all the disasters of October 2009, AMDA Canada was able to contribute to all in varying degrees either through supply of funds or coordinating other assistance. This came about almost entirely from maintaining good networking links as well as enjoying (and appreciating) rapid and excellent communication response from AMDA HQ. The organizers of AMDA Canada believe strongly in the AMDA philosophy of ‘open-door-cooperation’ with any and all groups who are working for the same goals of assistance within the coordinates of a purely humanitarian focus. Responses to these recent disasters proved yet again that such an open policy of ‘Sogo Fugo’ spirit is able to achieve considerably more than that of maintaining closed ‘territorial’ organizational barriers.
Will Grut MD. Vice Chairman AMDA Canada
Nov 2009
No comments:
Post a Comment