| Australia commits F$4 million to help Fiji flood affected Communities | |
 The Australian government has announced a further contribution of close to F$4 million (A$2 million) to Fiji to assist in the relief and recovery efforts of communities devastated by the April floods. The Acting Australian High Commissioner, Glen Miles, made the announcement while on a tour in the west to see firsthand the work of Australia’s assistance.
Through Australian AID, F$2 million will support additional food rations and transitional shelters. This funding will also support continued relief efforts with provisions for clean up kits, hygiene kits, women’s dignity kits, transitional shelter kits and medical supplies. “Australia will support the recovery efforts with another F$2 million provided equally between food security programs and education. Under food security, Australian AID is working with local NGOs to provide seeds, rehabilitate land, establish nurseries and conduct training for farmers and communities,” Mr. Miles said.
Fiji officials estimate that, so far, the flood has caused around F$72 million worth of damage. At is worst over 15,000 people occupied 212 evacuation centres across the Western and Central Division, and many more people were impacted including four deaths by flood waters which affected the same areas in January. “With the true extent of damage only now being realized, this additional funding will make a valuable contribution to the reconstruction efforts. This funding is in addition to the initial F$2 (A$1 million) announced by Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr, on 2 April for urgent humanitarian assistance.
This brings Australia’s total commitment, towards the efforts to help the people of Fiji recover from the devastation caused by the recent floods, to about F$6 million (F$3 million) Australia’s continued contribution to flood relief and reconstruction efforts is a further demonstration of its commitment to helping the people of Fiji.
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“Through our education funding support, 47 flood damaged schools will receive much needed structural rehabilitation. We will also provide additional funding to assist Save the Children Fund in extending its school feeding program over the 5 weeks which will benefit a total of 2,157 students”. 
The initial F$2 million (A$1 million) has been used to provide relief items like purification tablets, tarpaulins, and water containers through the National Disaster Management Office; provide food rations, cooked meals, water, medicine, clothing and clean up equipment through local NGOs; hire a helicopter to carry out aerial surveys, deliver supplies and conduct search and rescue missions through Act for Peace; and replenish emergency supplies used by the Fiji Red Cross and UNICEF.