more donations

Last week neighbour Trisha called by with a pile of gardening tools for the islands....many thanks!!

niua infrastructure still devastated

From what I can gather much of the crucial infrastructure on Niua is still not yet rebuilt - the medical clinic (which had just been refurbished & stocked with equipment paid for by Niua expatriates before the tsunami) is reduced to a small room at the high school...the police station was also wiped out and is similarly located at the high school, and other community services have been badly affected and disrupted.
Initial assitance came from the Red Cross, the World Bank, and the NZ Navy via HMNZ Canterbury:

"HMNZS CANTERBURY has been a hive of activity transferring over 200 personnel each day to Niuatoputapu for Pacific Partnership 2011. Amphibious operations begin every morning at 0600 with embarked forces and vehicles on CANTERBURY being transferred ashore via LCM, RHIB, and PUMA helo."
see more at:
www.flickr.com/photos/nzdefenceforce/sets/72157626493491372/

http://go.worldbank.org/5LMM725ME0
Demetrios Papathanasiou
 Senior Infrastructure Specialist
d
papathanasiou@worldbank.org
"Niuatoputapu is one of the two inhabited islands in Tonga’s Niua group, located in the northern-most part of Tonga. The total population of about 1,100 lives in four villages, Hihifo, Vaipoa, Falehau and Tafahi Island. The island is remote and relatively isolated from the rest of Tonga. It is estimated that income levels in Niuatoputapu are among the lowest in Tonga. On September 30 2009, the Niua islands were struck by an earthquake of 8.3 magnitude whose epicentre was 190km to the north east. This was quickly followed by three tsunami waves with a maximum flow height of 16.9 metres and penetration of over 1km inland. As much as 46 percent of the island was inundated resulting in the deaths of nine people and damages estimated at about US$10 million. Of a total of about 255 private houses on the island, 85 were totally destroyed and 56 partially damaged by the tsunami. Most of the public utilities and government buildings were completely destroyed, along with the water and sanitation system. Earthquakes and earthquake-incurred tsunamis remain potential threats in the coming years."

thanks to our donors

I would like to thank all those who have donated goods and time repairing tools for this current Niuatoputapu Project.
Many individuals are involved on an on-going basis. Thanks to: Len, Geoff, Royce, Roger, Gavin, Eric, Gwynn, and others at the Mens Shed North Shore

www.mensshednorthshore.org.nz

As well as my neighbours Gina, John McK, the Holts, and Trisha.

In addition local businesses and charities continue to donate their trash which is our treasure: Bunnings, SPCA, Hospice, and the Red Cross.

trisha sorts some donations

a box of nails & tools from a charity shop

team work

Someone kindly gave me an old axe at the weekend. I took it into the Shed & the boys cleaned it up and sharpened it....many thanks guys:

dave sanded the handle

geoff sharpened it

a clean shave!

found steel

Eric donated 40x8foot lengths of 1 1/2 in square steel box-section for the Islands - enough to build a frame for a whole house!
It's now stored in my lounge....

eric with his find

it went in the van ok

                                                                     

tools/nails/screws for niua

Currently I am gathering hand tools, nails, screws and other construction hardware to send to Niuatoputapu. The isolation of the island means that supplies of any sort are difficult and expensive to obtain.
The Men's Shed North Shore ( www.mensshednorthshore.org.nz ) is assisting me to collect these materials, and I am extremely grateful for the support of the Shed and it's members. I am also honoured to be obtaining donations from the public as well as local businesses and charity stores here on the North Shore - thanks to you all.
The plan is to send the goods by private yachts when they leave NZ in May/June/July after the hurricane season. As before, the yachties will deliver the boxes to Kieni's family in Niua, and the cargo will be personally distributed to those need.
Currently I have over 100kg of nails & screws boxed-up, as well as 30 hammers; 20 saws; 60 screwdrivers; 2 socket sets; various files, pliers, gardening tools, planes, nail plates, metal strapping, clothing, books, pots'n'pans, knives......and a whole lot more.....

Donations are welcome - call me on (09)479 1808 and I will collect.......

john mck with donations

15kg of "scrap" from a hardware bin

hammers for niua

knives for niua