Hawke's Bay donations will buy shelter kits for 64 Pakistani families through Save the Children's emergency relief fundraising.
The organisation aims to raise $250,000 nationally and $20 million internationally to help the millions of families displaced by flooding.
Save the Children CEO Liz Gibbs, in Hastings for the local branch's AGM, saidNew Zealanders had already donated about $164,000 to the cause, an impressive and generous amount. Bay families have donated $7567 so far - equivalent to 64 shelter kits, 605 gas cylinders and burners for cooking or 1576 kettles.
Shelter kits include a plastic tarpaulin, a bucket with lid, two jerry cans, one plastic jug, six plastic glasses and one 10-metre rope, as well as containers for carrying and storing clean water.
The organisation had been working in the Swat Valley in Pakistan for more than 30 years and had already delivered emergency aid to about 50,000 children. Its permanent staff were familiar with the area and had travelled to the needy by any means necessary, including helicopter, boat and donkey.
Healthcare, food, water and shelter were the priorities but the organisation was committed to the long term needs too," Ms Gibbs said. "They would probably be in the area for another 30 years.
"Soon we will be setting up schools," she said. "Many were swept away and it helps normalise their lives a little."
The organisation was calling on all New Zealanders to support the appeal and said the scale of the emergency was only going to get worse as water-borne diseases started affecting the families.
Ms Gibbs described the Hawke's Bay branch as dedicated and said it had raised $50,000 in the past year and some members had been involved for more than 30 years.
Make donations at www.savethechildren.org.nz or by calling 0800 167 168.
