Fiji Cyclone Disaster Response

Hello donors!

We want to thank you for your unending support of the work that All Hands Volunteers completes every day. Our Fiji Cyclone Response program is wrapping up at the end of September and we are incredibly sad to leave. After extensive assessments All Hands identified the largest need in the communities was proper latrine systems; many areas had their toilet systems destroyed or some didn’t have adequate systems to begin with. The islands of Koro and Vitu Levu were hit hard by Cyclone Winston and required extensive repair and rebuild, some 31,200 homes and latrine systems were damaged.

In total All Hands Volunteers completed 329 latrine systems and 75 showers. In addition the volunteers realized the need for lamps to provide safety at night for the latrine systems, and to date we have distributed 129 solar lamps. Soap and other hygienic products have been distributed as well. Over 13,000 hours of work that All Hands Volunteers completed has provided 2,474 Fijian citizens access to emergency latrine systems and showers.

Through All Hands Volunteers partnership with Habitat for Humanity Fiji and UNICEF we were able to design latrine systems that were outfitted with plastic squat plates. In the Cawa District, Mudu District and Tailevu District All Hands was able to utilize leftover cement from other projects in order to build slabs and risers which improved the squat plate. This extra step required careful transport and additional building time, but the result was far better than the standard squat plate. By keeping volunteer numbers low for this program we were able to truly connect with the community and provide the highest level of service, not only rebuilding toilets but rebuilding hope in the families affected by this disaster. As our time in Fiji comes to an end we hope that you continue to support our work throughout the world and our mission to assist those affected by disasters.

Thank you!