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The Field Ready response team is currently responding to the devastation from the Ambae volcano in Vanuatu. Vanuatu is currently in a state of emergency until the end of September, but the effects from Ambae have left homes destroyed and the recovery will be a long process. The UN has named the country one of the most at risk for disasters.
When the small island nation is hit with a disaster, the whole country is affected. With the eruption of Ambae, the ash has destroyed crops and the air quality is severely suffering. With impending cyclones in Vanuatu, the risks of future devastation are dire.
Field Ready is currently working on the island Santo, where the most vulnerable people are being housed at a shipping terminal. After attending a gender and protection cluster meeting we were invited to work with these populations, which include elderly, disabled and pregnant women. After our initial assessment, it was determined that making beds would be the most effective. People were sleeping on the cold, hard ground and everyone left their homes without assisted devises that they need, thus a bed is critical.
The Field Ready team knew that it needed to make a bed that was portable and easy to take apart since the evacuees will be moved elsewhere in the near future. A total of 60 beds will be made, using pallets and cinder blocks. Field Ready connected with local hardware stores, and they gave us pallets and wood materials to make the beds out of. Volunteers provided vital help to assemble the beds, and it has become a very collaborative approach. Shipping companies are also supplying us with the pallets.
Recipients of the beds are using blankets and mattress pads on top of the new beds. So far we have made over half of them!