surfaid 19 Sep 2007No Comments 153 views Print Email

  Green, surf

SurfAid International is delivering 1,000 shelter and rebuilding kits for families to isolated villages in the southernmost Mentawai island of Pagai Selatan (South Pagai), which has been badly affected by the earthquakes.

We are also running health clinics in partnership with the local Mentawai Health Department.

Our office in the Mentawai is now operating as the information bureau and we are working closely with the Mentawai Government.

Information from Stephen Ray, SurfAid International Field Coordinator in Sikakap, is that 500 sets of basic tool kits and 500 sets of basic shelter kits have arrived in Sikakap this morning on board surf charter boat Budyadahri and are now stored in a warehouse near the harbour.

Ray, Jon and Ainsley Ocean, and other SurfAid crew and local volunteers are packing these kits so they can leave to Silabu, Betumonga, Maigiruk, Tumale and Gogoa in the morning (Wednesday). They have chartered local fishing boats to shift the gear around to target areas. Mark Loughran, the manager of Macaronis Resort, has also provided a boat to help out.

D’bora ferry will be leaving from Padang tomorrow night (Wednesday) as planned to Sikakap via Tuapejat and will take at least 500 basic tool and 500 basic shelter kits, and possibly hygiene kits.

D’bora will pick up Ray and team and head to Malakopak area and work down the south coast of the island of Pagai Selatan (South Selatan) to Surat Aban. It’s estimated that we can cover three villages per day down the west coast, which means we will have it covered in a week.

SurfAid has a third boat, Melaleuca, in holding pattern for a Friday night departure depending on funding and supplies. Ideally we would like to service the Sinaka area and come up the east coast through Makalo and back to Sikakap.