The Anguilla Red Cross, supported by British Red Cross, will provide financial assistance in December 2017 to households severely affected by Hurricane Irma.
Starting from the week commencing December 4, selected households will receive a one-time payment of US$920 to help cover basic needs such as food, water, medicine, clothing – or choose what’s most needed for their own circumstances. The programme will support approximately 400 households that were most severely affected by Hurricane Irma.
“The Recovery Assistance Programme will help the most vulnerable households in Anguilla during this challenging period of recovery, those that have lost everything or almost everything”, said Vanroy Hodge, Director of the Anguilla Red Cross.
“Everyone in Anguilla has been affected by Hurricane Irma in some way. The Red Cross is here to support persons that have not only experienced damage to their homes, but who have also lost income as a result of the storm.”
“We’ve been providing aid, such as hygiene kits, cleaning kits, solar lanterns, clothing – since the day after Hurricane Irma. Now, supported by our colleagues from the British Red Cross, we’re able to provide direct financial assistance to the households we know are the most in need, which lets people choose for themselves how best to recover.”
The Anguilla Red Cross says that approximately 400 households will be provided with financial assistance in December, 2017. Applications were received from households across Anguilla between 25th October and 17th November, 2017. The Red Cross is now identifying which individuals meet its criteria, and consulting with community leaders to ensure that the most-affected households are included; and that the correct information has been collected.
“Although this type of support hasn’t been provided in Anguilla before, cash-based assistance like the Recovery Assistance Programme is a common practice in emergency operations around the world”, said Emilie Guinier of the British Red Cross. “Providing financial assistance gives families the opportunity to meet their household’s unique needs; they can buy what’s best for them and most urgently needed. It also strengthens the local economy. Every level of the economy can benefit from such assistance”
The Anguilla Red Cross can be reached on 584-0406 or via Facebook: facebook.com/AnguillaRedCross
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
