Local faith-based organizations have teamed up to assist Chinese families affected by the recent unrest in Honiara.
In a statement this week, The Church Agencies Network for Disaster Operations (CANDO) comprising of the Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA), Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACoM), South Seas Evangelical Church (SSEC), United Church Solomon Islands (UCSI), ADRA for Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) and Caritas Solomon Islands for Catholic Church (CC) (CANDO) said it is working in the interest of Collaborating and Coordinating in the humanitarian sector to enhance community resilience to disaster and conflict.
These faith-based organisations have responded by involving in humanitarian activities in an effort to assist the Chinese families who have been affected by the recent social unrest with local garden food items.
More than 80 Chinese families who have lost their businesses and homes were displaced and are temporarily sheltering with other Chinese families in and around Honiara. These Chinese victims are still in trauma at this point of time and their freedom of movements in the public spaces has been denied because of fear and insecurity.
This is where the Church Agencies Network for Disaster Operations (CANDO) in its collaborative effort continues to response and facilitates the collection of local food items from communities in both East and North West Guadalcanal.This week on Wednesday the 15th of December is the second batch of fresh garden food items collected from communities in East and West Guadalcanal, communities that responded includes; Maravovo, Marubo, DiViT RTC, Doma,Vatukulau 1&2, Masa, Ghorabau and Komavoghi .
The final round of local food assistance will be on the 22nd December 2021, and will continue depending on the needs of the affected families.
Coordinator of CANDO program, Lionel Dau has stated that the humanitarian actions taken by the kind-hearted people in our communities have reflected the true love of Christ for us Christians to live by daily.
Those that are affected should not be neglected especially in such a challenging time like this. In spite of everything, we need to understand that “humanity has no borders” regardless of ethnic group, race, color, creed, religion, and social status.
Source. Island Sun newspaper.
Comment.
A thank you to all who contributed to the relief and assistance efforts for the displaced and distressed Chinese families.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
