The East Sepik Appeal 2024 yesterday received K20, 000 worth of in-kind donations from the National ICT Authority of Papua New Guinea (NICTA).
This is the final week of donations as the ‘Wantoks blo Sepik’ team and its volunteers prepare to seal, pack and ship off the disaster relief items to Wewak, East Sepik Province.
The donated items from NICTA included:
- 2x bales of double sized mosquito nets
- 2x bales of single mosquito nets
- 10x empty 25 liter containers
- 10x canvas (4m x 6)
- 5x cooking pot sets, and
- Kitchen equipment/utensils etc.
In the early morning of 24 March 2024, an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter Scale shook East Sepik Province.
Over 70 villages along the Sepik River were affected by the flood and earthquake that occurred in the East Sepik Province at a depth of about 35km east- northeast of Ambunti.
The disaster prompted a countrywide disaster relief appeal with many donations from the national government and its bilateral partners, schools, state agencies, businesses and individuals alike.
Chairman of the group leading the 2024 Sepik Disaster Appeal in Port Moresby, John Wesley Gonjuan says this week is the final week of donations as they will be preparing over the weekend to seal and package the relief supplies for shipping to Wewak.
“So far, we’ve got a container sitting down at the wharf ready to be shipped to Wewak. That container contains about 500 boxes of home rebuild kits that were donated to us by Chinese-PNG Friendship Association.”
Chairman Gonjuan says there are also 40kg bales of clothing items for women, children, and men – over 160 boxes that they plan to ship off by the end of this week (Friday 10 May, 2024). It will take about two weeks to reach Wewak.
“We are thankful that Consort Shipping has come on board to ship those containers free of charge over to Wewak,” said Gonjuan.
He added that Ela Motors has also donated vehicles to help distribute items to the affected areas.
This is the final week for anyone willing to make donations. Over this coming weekend, all donations will be packed and sealed and put in the containers ready to be shipped off to Wewak.
Gonjuan advises that whomever that may be willing to do donations this week can go and drop off their donations at the Sir John Guise Stadium where the disaster appeal team are based.
“Those that willing to make a cash donation, we’ve got a bank account number, the name of the account is East Sepik Disaster Appeal, 0000406802. Waigani BSP Bank,” said Chairman Gonjuan.