‘Container Army’ appeal for temporary housing in Fiji

‘Container Army’ appeal for temporary housing in Fiji

One month after the hugely destructive Cyclone Winston tore through the Fijian Islands 131,000 people are still in urgent need of shelter assistance and up to 250,000 people, including those remaining in evacuation centres, do not have access to safe water, sanitation and/or hygiene services.

Leading relocation company, Crown Worldwide (NZ) Ltd, a long term partner of the Salvation Army, is joining forces with the Army’s Emergency Appeal and will be providing non-returnable containers for shipping donated items and essential supplies to Fiji. Once there the containers will stay in Fiji and become temporary housing and shelter for families in need.

Crown is also coordinating an appeal to raise funds to assemble a ‘Container Army’ of more of these non-returnable shipping containers.

Crown’s New Zealand country manager, James Logan, says that Crown’s job is to raise funds for more containers and then ship the containers to Fiji. Once a container arrives in Fiji it will be under the control of the Salvation Army’s team and will be emptied and then become temporary housing and shelter for those in need. Depending on resources, the Salvation Army will be looking to fit out the containers in Fiji.

“We are very grateful that Maersk Shipping Line and Royal Wolf Containers have joined with us in this appeal. Our goal is to have a ‘Container Army’ of 20 containers on the water by the end of April and we are asking other companies, large and small, other relocation businesses and individuals to make cash contributions to help us buy more containers to ship to Fiji. Every dollar raised will go towards the Container Army.”

It will be up the Salvation Army to decide the best use for the containers, but Crown says it could be for homes, school rooms or clinics.

The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory has 10 operating centres in Fiji and, before the cyclone struck, had already prepared evacuation centres with mattresses, generators, food, water, clothing and clean-up supplies.

“Short term services being provided by the Sallies include water, tarpaulins, food, electrical generators, shelter in their centres and grief counselling. In the medium term they will be working closely with the Fiji Government to meet significant infrastructure and rebuilding projects. The Government has asked them to take responsibility for 11 villages on the main island,” says Logan.

Businesses and individuals wanting to help can contact Lesley Beacham, lbeacham@crownww.com

NOTE TO EDITORS

The Salvation Army is Crown Worldwide’s (NZ) charity of choice. Crown was proud to receive the “Valued Partner Award” in 2013 – one of only five New Zealand companies to receive this award in 100 years. Crown’s involvement includes the daily collection of food and donated items for the Army’s Family Stores, one- off ‘Big Sallie Surprise’ fundraising events and more recently the sponsorship of Pacific children through their ‘Cherish a Child’ programme.

All statistics from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) www.unocha.org (as at March 15).

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