AT least 17,500 households affected by TC Winston are in need of shelter, with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimating that $US20m ($F41.3m) is needed for shelter recovery activities.
While UNOCHA acknowledges Government’s $US35million ($F72.3m) new home initiative to provide for the affected households, it is also calling for commitment from the international community to fund the shelter self-recovery activities.
Yesterday, a UNOCHA report revealed that 31,200 houses were damaged or destroyed by the disaster, of which 13,700 households have received temporary shelters. At least 17,500 households remain to be assisted, of this number at least 11,500 are in need of a secure home — a room with a roof.
The UN Flash appeal launched in March had a target of $US38.6m ($F79.7m), so far $US14.7million ($F30.30m) has been received.
This appeal had targets for clusters, which include water and sanitation, hygiene; health and nutrition, shelter, education, logistics, safety and protection, food security and livelihood, emergency telecommunication, infrastructure and public works.
UNOCHA revealed that contributions for shelter was one of the lowest.
“As recovery is starting there still is some humanitarian assistance that is needed for the next couple of months. There is some funding short for the shelter cluster that is co-ordinated under the leadership of government and there is a need for additional funding,” UN Resident Coordinator, Osnat Lubrani told The Fiji Times. The report stated that although the significant stocks of emergency items were currently in the distribution pipeline and would bring some immediate relief, vulnerable communities would still need additional assistance to meet core housing needs.
It said there were significant outstanding needs in terms of support for shelter self-recovery activities including technical training for carpenters and owner-builders to construct more durable housing.
“What some of the humanitarian agencies say is there is a very important need to assist in ensuring that people know how to train to build safely and build back better and there are some expertise that these people have that they would like to recommend so as people buy, they know what to buy, how to build safely, and to make sure it is resilient,” Ms Lubrani said.
National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) director, Akapusi Tuifagalele has refuted this report.
He said, on record they have only 21 families living in seven activated evacuation centres in the Eastern Division with a population of 108.