Rotarians Bring Relief

Rotarians are ramping up aid to victims left homeless by a series of disasters that struck areas in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.

A devastating tsunami that hit American Samoa, Samoa, and Tonga; earthquakes in Indonesia; two typhoons in the Philippines; and flooding in India have left thousands dead and millions displaced.

Rotarians are focusing on distributing relief goods, including food, water, medicine, clothing, and shelter.

Rotary clubs from districts in Australia and New Zealand are leading efforts to bring emergency response kits to victims of the tsunami that wiped out several villages in American Samoa and Samoa on September 29.

Rotarians and Rotaractors in Samoa have distributed more than 200 kits, costing roughly US$55,000 total. Full of blankets, food, clothing, cooking utensils, tools, and medicine, they were donated by Rotary clubs in New Zealand in collaboration with Air New Zealand.

“I’m amazed at how fast the support came,” says Leanne Jaggs, governor of District 9920, which covers several islands in the South Pacific. “I am proud to be a Rotarian right now because of the way everyone comes together when needed.”

Learn more about these relief efforts and how you can help.  Click here to read the full article from Rotary International about Rotarians’ relief efforts towards those affected by the natural disasters in the South Pacific.