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Press Releases & Updates

10 MAY 2013

Oxfam delivers third batch of supplies to quake survivors in Ya’an

Rehabilitation work to start in late May

Oxfam sent the second team of staff to the quake-stricken area in Ya’an, Sichuan in the beginning of the month for the second phase of damage assessment, and subsequently delivered three batches of relief supplies to the area on 6, 8 and 10 May respectively. The value of the supplies, including 2,418 rolls of waterproof fabrics and 392 sets of cooking utensils, totalled HK$970,000. The first and second batches reached 5,631 villagers in Weita Village of Shuangshi Township, Dahe Village of Taiping Township and Zhongba Village of Baosheng Township, Lushan County. The third batch of supplies which includes 1,003 rolls of waterproof fabrics is expected to be delivered to the disaster area by tonight. Oxfam plans to launch our post-quake rehabilitation work in late May.
 
After the Ya’an earthquake took place on 20 April, Oxfam immediately sent a team of workers to the disaster area, and delivered two batches of supplies, valued at HK$900,000, from our emergency warehouses in Chengdu and Kunming to worst-hit Lushan County. Over 7,000 people in Hongxing Village and Longxing Village of Longmen Township and Renjia Village of Qingren Township received our assistance. On 3 May, Oxfam staff set off to Lushan County again for the second phase of damage assessment, and focused on assisting the marginalised groups in the remote, mountainous villages.

Following Oxfam’s relief principles for the second phase of relief work, the Oxfam team separated into groups and went to different remote, mountainous villages to collect quake-related information. After assessment, Oxfam decided to distribute supplies to the people in Dahe Village of Taiping Township, Weita Village of Shuangshi Township and Zhongba Village of Baosheng Township. Feng Mingling, Manager of Oxfam’s Kunming Office, said that all three villages, located on the remote mountains, have been severely hit by the quake. The roads to these townships have been destroyed, so the materials they have received so far are fewer in quantity and variety.

“The rain in Ya’an hasn’t stopped ever since we arrived. After the quake, each household received a tent for temporary shelter, but it’s hard for such a small space to accommodate more than a few people. With their homes destroyed, their food, livestock and household items have been exposed in the rain, creating a great deal of inconvenience. That is why there is such a high demand for waterproof fabrics at this time,” said Feng.

Waterproof fabrics, which are reusable, can be used for temporary shelter and for keeping food and other items dry in the rain. The two batches of materials distributed to the three villages included 1,415 rolls of waterproof fabrics and 392 sets of cooking utensils, benefiting 5,631 people. Another 1,003 rolls of waterproof fabrics have left the Chengdu warehouse today and are on their way to Lushan County, while remaining items are being procured.

“Before distributing the materials, we communicate with other relief agencies such as Save the Children and the Salvation Army and inform them the result of our need assessment, the type of materials we plan to dispatch and the location of our distribution. That way, we can avoid a repetition of materials, make good use of our resources and assist as many people as possible,” said Feng.

On 3 May, Oxfam received a grant of HK$2.06 million from the HKSAR Government Disaster Relief Fund for post-quake relief work in Ya’an. In the three batches of supplies that Oxfam delivered to the disaster area, about HK$420,000 worth of items were acquired with the grant from the Disaster Relief Fund. Oxfam’s initial plan is to use the remaining funds to provide items such as waterproof fabrics, mosquito nets, sanitary packs and cooking utensils for approximately 2,000 households (around 8,000 people) living in Lushan, Tianquan and Baoxing counties.

In an effort to save money while ensuring the quality of the supplies and to assist more people with limited resources, Oxfam quotes prices from three sources. Oxfam also signs procurement contracts with vendors and pays them directly. After distribution, Oxfam staff revisits households that have received supplies to ensure the quantity and quality of the items; feedback regarding the distribution method and process is also collected. Upon the completion of the relief project, Oxfam will submit summary and financial reports to the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee. Oxfam applied for a specific amount of grant from the Disaster Relief Fund for a specific project; expenses will be reimbursed exactly. All unused funds will be returned to the HKSAR Government.

The second phase of Oxfam’s relief work will focus on assisting remote communities and marginalised groups. Oxfam’s assessment team arrived in the disaster area yesterday and has since started collecting information for post-quake rehabilitation. The initial plan is to concentrate on hygiene, providing clean drinking water and temporary shelters, clean-up and waste management, food and livelihood recovery as well as disaster mitigation and preparedness. The rehabilitation plan, expected to start late this month and last about a year, will assist 30,000 people in about 7,500 households.

To support the agency’s relief and rehabilitation work in Ya’an, Oxfam has launched an emergency appeal in Hong Kong and Macau. As of 10:00 am on 10 May, around HK$5.78 million has been raised.

Donation methods for the Ya’an Earthquake Emergency Appeal are as follows:
Donations can be transferred to the various bank accounts of Oxfam Hong Kong:
Hong Kong
HSBC: 047-834668-001
Bank of China: 012-874-0-010515-7

Macau
Bank of China Macau account: 01-01-20-840951 (MOP)
Banco Tai Fung: 201-1-10056-9 (MOP)
Banco Weng Hang: 743342-001 (MOP)
Bank of China Macau cardholders can make donations via BOC Express or BOCNET

More donation methods:
Online donation link (HK donor)
https://www.oxfam.org.hk/en/oneoffdonationform_2013it011.aspx
Online donation link (Macau donor)
https://www.oxfam.org.hk/en/oneoffdonationform_2013kn006.aspx
Other donation methods
http://www.oxfam.org.hk/en/paymentsichuanearthquake.aspx
 


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About Oxfam
Oxfam is dedicated to fighting poverty and inequity worldwide. The international and independent development and humanitarian organisation tackles poverty in four main ways: sustainable development in poor communities, disaster relief, local, national and global advocacy, and education with Hong Kong youth. Established in Hong Kong in 1976, Oxfam Hong Kong is a founding member of Oxfam, an international confederation that has assisted poor people in 94 countries. Oxfam Hong Kong alone has supported poor people in over 70 countries/regions.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Sarah Chu
Communications Officer
Telephone: + 852 3120-5280 / + 852 9276 0064
Email: sarah.chu@oxfam.org.hk