A dignified response to Cyclone Pam for women

A dignified response to Cyclone Pam for women

Date: 30/03/2015

UNFPA Pacific, Port Vila, Vanuatu (March 28, 2015) - Asked how she felt about receiving a basic dignity kit at her Cyclone Pam-ravaged township within the Vanuatu capital of Port Vila, Gertrude Venabelt said without hesitation: I feel loved.

The language barrier means one seldom gets perfect English phrases on the outskirts or from ni-Vanuatu who speaks the provincial dialect or the common Bislama language. Ms Venabelt follows up with: "Me glad me get this one carton".

Ms Venabelt was referring to the dignity kit she had just received from the visiting integrated team of health and gender and protection workers, led by the Vanuatu Ministry of Health and supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Betty Iman, 34, is pregnant with her third child and came to take advantage of the ante-natal care that was part of the services from the team that day at Fresh Wind Ohlem, where 46 of the 400 prepositioned dignity kit were being distributed.

The outreach team was expecting 40 pregnant women and lactating mothers but more than 100 women and their children came to the aid post.

"This area has not received power since the cyclone and so the torch in the dignity kits will be very useful for us; the other materials inside the kits can save us money too, thank you," Ms Iman said.

Dignity kits distributed in Vanuatu include sanitary pads, underwear, a tee-shirt, comb, washing powder, toothpaste, tooth brush, bath soap, a towel, comb and a zip-lock bag.

Dignity kits with hygiene supplies are prepared for women in humanitarian situations, the impact of which is experienced differently by women and girls though their needs are not usually prioritized in national responses.

See the article here:
A dignified response to Cyclone Pam for women