The Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) through its partners the Church Agency Network Disaster Operations (CAN DO) and Field Ready today handed over two retrofitted church properties in the Western Division that can be used as evacuation centers to the church and the vanua.
The Saunaka Methodist Church and the Narewa Methodist Church are now being inclusive especially disability, women and elderly accessible after the retrofitting was conducted by Field Ready based on the mapping done by CAN DO as part of the Safe n Redi Project funded by the Australian Government through AHP.
President of the Methodist in Fiji Reverend Ili Vunisuwai extended his sincere appreciation to the Vanua for their willingness to be model properties that upholds the dignity of women, elderly, the disability and the vulnerable in allowing the retrofitting works to be carried out
He said this breaks barriers to the traditional and often limited access things were always done based on our often-limited resources and technical capacity.
“The Methodist Church in Fiji is the largest reach throughout the communities and this step marks our commitment to ensure that the church is not only a place of worship but a practical refuge during and after a disaster,” Reverend Vunisuwai said.
“The Church is building its disaster framework which will guide through our newly endorsed National Disaster Framework to ensure the members and our operations are intentional to preparing our congregation to be positioned not only for disaster preparedness but also response to affected communities.”
The handover today was organized by the Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA) Fiji as the secretarial of CAN DO and also attended by the Commissioner West, Mesake Ledua.
The MCIF amongst other CAN DO partners are lead in the Western Division.
CAN DO’s Safe n Redi Project implemented by ADRA Fiji works through churches to build communities in Fiji that are inclusive, safe and ready to provide dignity and protection for all in times of disaster.
