BY JOSES SAREN
The New Zealand Government has committed a further NZD750,000 (approximately SBD3.4 million) to support communities recovering from Tropical Cyclone Maila.
The announcement was made at a Tok Stori event held at the New Zealand High Commission yesterday attended by representatives from the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO).
According to a statement released alongside the event, the funding will be delivered through New Zealand’s Disaster Response Partnership (NZDRP) and will support Save the Children New Zealand, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand and ADRA New Zealand to work alongside their Solomon Islands partners on early recovery activities in Western and Choiseul Provinces.
Each organisation will receive NZD250,000 to deliver targeted support to communities hardest hit by the cyclone.
The new grants recognise that recovery does not end once the immediate emergency has passed.
Families need support to repair homes, restore food gardens, regain access to clean water, return children to school and rebuild the livelihoods they depend on.
New Zealand High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Jonathan Curr, said the support reflects New Zealand’s commitment to stand alongside Solomon Islands during difficult times.
“Tropical Cyclone Maila caused widespread damage across communities that rely on their homes, gardens and local infrastructure for everyday life. While the emergency response helped meet immediate needs, recovery takes much longer.
“These grants will help families repair damaged homes, restore food production, improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and strengthen communities to better prepare for future disasters. This practical support will help people recover faster and reduce their vulnerability to future shocks,” Mr Curr said.
He said strong partnerships are central to an effective recovery.
“We know the best results come when governments, communities, local organisations and development partners work together,” he said.
Save the Children New Zealand will work through Save the Children Solomon Islands in Simbo, Vella la Vella, Ranongga and southern Choiseul, restoring food production and livelihoods through temporary learning spaces, back-to-school campaigns and repairs to schools and early childhood education centres. The grant is expected to reach 516 households, or around 2,280 people.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand will partner with the Solomon Islands Association of Vocational and Rural Training Centres (SIAVRTC) in Western and Choiseul Provinces.
Activities include food assistance, restoration of food gardens, water and sanitation support, shelter repairs and community infrastructure work, reaching approximately 950 households, or around 4,000 people, across 24 communities.
On Kolombangara and Ranongga Islands, ADRA will provide shelter repair kits, hygiene kits and community rainwater harvesting systems to help families regain access to safe shelter and clean water.
The project will also support households to re-establish food gardens and livelihoods through agricultural inputs and training, while strengthening community disaster committees, early warning systems and preparedness training. Around 245 households, representing up to 2,200 people, are expected to benefit.
The three new grants build on New Zealand’s broader support for the Cyclone Maila response, which included the deployment of a New Zealand Defence Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft to conduct aerial damage assessments, and emergency funding provided to strengthen the NDMO’s national emergency response operations.
This earlier support enabled NDMO to deploy the National Emergency Response Team (NERT) and establish a national warehouse and staging area in Munda, helping coordinate rapid assessments and the distribution of emergency supplies and food assistance across the country.
New Zealand also provided early funding for Save the Children to undertake rapid assessments and provide child protection services, and support to restore services at the Solomon Islands Planned Parenthood Association clinic in Gizo.
More than 3.5 tons of pre-positioned humanitarian relief supplies, valued at more than SBD1 million, including shelter materials, hygiene kits and blankets were also distributed.
New Zealand remains committed to support Solomon Islands through both disaster response and long-term resilience, working alongside the Solomon Islands Government — including NDMO — local communities and humanitarian partners to help communities recover stronger and prepare for future natural disasters.
Photo: Supplied
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