SERVICE: Alex Ben, Kranold Nidack, Herve Nambeth, Mike Sam, Casimir Tevanu, David Philip and James Robert Kaitonga, all from Vanuatu, at a special service at St Luke's Union Church to remember those who died after Cyclone Pam ripped through their homeland. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA WTA250315LFSERVICE01
SERVICE: Alex Ben, Kranold Nidack, Herve Nambeth, Mike Sam, Casimir Tevanu, David Philip and James Robert Kaitonga, all from Vanuatu, at a special service at St Luke's Union Church to remember those who died after Cyclone Pam ripped through their homeland. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA WTA250315LFSERVICE01
For Ni-Vanuatu people in Wairarapa, the past couple of weeks have been tough, seeing the devastation Cyclone Pam has wreaked across their homeland.
The Category 5 tropical cyclone descended upon Vanuatu 14 days ago, battering the country and causing extensive damage to food crops and infrastructure, and impacting on electricity and communications.
James Robert Kaitonga, a Ni-Vanuatu man who has been coming to New Zealand for three years to do vineyard work, is from the small island of Emae.
He said he hadn't had any news from his family there and seeing the destruction on the news was difficult.
Mr Kaitonga said he had heard from family in Port Vila, the capital, but he was unable to contact anyone in Emae, which is in the Shepherd Islands, just north of Port Vila.
Emae was hit hard and very few homes were left standing, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. A NZ navy ship is set to start relief work there, after arriving in the country on Wednesday.
Kranold Nidack is from Malakula, the second-largest island in Vanuatu, northwest of Port Vila.
He said there were a lot of crops on Malakula and people would be needing water, as well as food.
Mr Nidack said it was his first time coming to New Zealand for vineyard work but he will be heading back home next month with Mr Kaitonga and other Ni-Vanuatu vineyard workers. They all attended a special service held at St Luke's Union Church on Wednesday to remember those who died as a result of the cyclone and see the start of a relief effort appeal by the Wairarapa community.
Margaret Duncan, a Masterton woman who attended the service, had done mission work in the village of Utas, on Ambrym Island.
"It's very close to my heart ... I was very upset, the church held up but all the houses didn't."
About a dozen families' houses were destroyed, she said.
She has two friends working in Port Vila and had heard from them via email that most of the Utas residents were all living in the church.
The health clinic and women's house were still standing although damaged and the school, made of brick, survived, she said.
"A baby girl was born at the health clinic, they are going to call her Pam."
An estimated 166,000 people have been affected by the cyclone, with thousands left homeless and 17 dead.
Luther Toloa, who helped organise the appeal, said the plight for Ni-Vanuatu people will be ongoing.
He said the best way to help was to donate to NGOs such as Save the Children, Red Cross and Unicef because they were already there.
But practical items such as food, clothing, shoes and even towels would also help in the meantime, said Mr Toloa.
"If people can donate a can of food or a pack of noodles, three of these items can feed a family of three for a day."
Donations of food and clothing can be dropped off at Masterton District Council, 64 Chapel St, the Carterton Events Centre, and South Wairarapa District Council, 19 Kitchener St, Martinborough.
The greatest items of need are food, particularly tinned fish, tinned beef, rice, noodles and tinned fruit.
