Mitchell is a humanitarian programme coordinator for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand.

He has just returned from Vanuatu.

He arrived there just three days after Cyclone Pam hit.

Now, though dates had not yet been confirmed, he will soon be heading to another disaster zone - Nepal.

He expects to head over in a couple of months.

He was not going immediately because "we don't want to be sending people if it is not people that are needed."

"What is needed is money and support."

Caritas already has staff on the ground trying to get the country back on its feet.

For more than ten years Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has worked with its counterpart in Nepal to support farmers, developing strong small farming and agribusiness cooperatives.

They are now using these long established relationships to reach some of the most marginalised communities in the country.

Caritas in Nepal is a well-respected partner of the Nepalese Government for humanitarian relief work and is negotiating to continue directly implementing its response to the earthquake.

"Our Caritas network is supporting the Caritas Nepal team as they prioritise emergency shelter, trauma counselling, food, clean water and the hygiene materials people desperately need," says Mitchell.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

Residents on the outer island of Enae say they will run out of food and water in a week and desperately need help.

Health worker Donald Kalsong said some supplies have reached Enae, but not enough.

He said only nine bags of rice and 200 litres of water were dropped off for the 1200 residents on the island.

In many places everything above ground has been destroyed says Mark Mitchell.

"Every day we are getting more information from other, more remote islands."

"People still have access to root crops, but they will only last about a week for many communities."

Mitchell, Humanitarian Programmes Coordinator for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, is in Port Vila where Caritas Oceania agencies, including Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand and Caritas Australia, are leading a combined Caritas response to Cyclone Pam.

He says coordination of the response to Cyclone Pam is going well and communication is slowly being brought back onboard.

With more than half the population of Vanuatu homeless, the arrival in Port Vila of 2,000 tarpaulins in the next few days, to be used as temporary shelters, will enable Caritas to respond directly to one of the greatest needs.

OCHA reports that 12,000 shelter kits and 24,000 tarpaulins are needed for communities across the island nation, especially on Tanna and Erromango Islands where the category 5 cyclone passed closest.

Communities on isolated islands in Vanuatu are also facing the perilous prospect of dwindling fresh water supplies.

Children are at risk of potentially deadly water-borne diseases like diarrhoea, warns Save the Children.

Mitchell says that in the midst of the devastation and the direness of the situation, there is also a hopeful story.

There is a the reduced number of casualties because of aid organisations like Caritas have worked with the government and communities to prepare for such emergencies.

Donations to assist with the humanitarian response can be made by:

• Phoning 0800 22 10 22 to make credit card donations
• Donating online to Pacific Cyclone Relief Fund using a credit card at www.caritas.org.nz
• Internet banking - account #03 0518 0211216 00
• Text Pam to 833 to donate $3 to Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

Source

• Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
• Pacific Scoop
• Radio New Zealand.co.nz
• Image: Supplied. F.Grossin

Mark leads the humanitarian work programme of Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. He has worked in emergencies in Kosovo, Africa and Christchurch.

In the Philippines he is heading up a five member Emergency Response and Support Team based in Cebu. Brought together to support Caritas Philippines, the team is coordinating the global Caritas relief effort after the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Haiyan, which has displaced or left homeless 4.01 million people.

‘People here are in desperate need. We are working hard to get emergency supplies to where they are most needed', he says.

‘Water, food, medicine, shelter, hygiene and sanitation are immediate priorities. As well as clearing debris and sorting logistics so aid can get through', says Mark.

Mark travelled with the Australian Air Force yesterday carrying 500 tarpaulins from the New Zealand government to Tacloban, one of the worst hit cities.

‘There were people, dust, planes everywhere - incredibly loud with hundreds and hundreds people queued up to get on flights out of Tacloban. There were trees broken half way up and the airport terminal destroyed,' he said.

‘We saw the ceaseless activity of international aid and the challenges that come with it,' said Mark. ‘But working in partnership with Caritas Philippines means we have a good mechanism to deliver these emergency, essential supplies as quickly as possible. We are here to listen to what people want and assist however we can'.

Caritas Philippines has distributed more than 68,310 relief packs as well as NZ$365,888 to local diocese for food and immediate needs - this has gone to help 345,000 people.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand launched an emergency appeal for the Philippines last week. Already, well over $250,000 has been raised. This funding will help provide essential food, hygiene kits, non-food household items and shelter repairs for 55,000 of the most vulnerable households (275,000 people) severely impacted by the Typhoon.

Donations to the Caritas Philippines Relief Appeal can be made by:

• Phoning 0800 22 10 22 to make credit card donations;
• Phoning 0900 4 11 11 to make an automatic $20 donation from your phone bill;
• Donating online using a credit card at www.caritas.org.nz; or
• Posting toCaritas, PO Box 12193, Thorndon, Wellington 6144, New Zealand.

Updates on the Caritas response are available at http://www.caritas.org.nz/philippines-typhoon and Facebook and Twitter.

Source

• Supplied: Caritas Aotearoa/New Zealand
• Image: Supplied Ryan Worms/Caritas.