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Scared that another tsunami may rip through their house again, the Tupua family have headed for the hills.
The family, from the village of Saleapaga, have started building their house and their lives again in the middle of nowhere, on a mountain behind their village.
They never want to see
that kind of destruction again.
"We're too scared," Elisapeta Tupailangi says. "All the children - no one will go back down because they think another wave will come. I think this is the best decision for us, to stay up here."
Having seen the destruction and deaths that the tsunami caused last week, the family - who escaped to the mountain in about six minutes - have stayed on there since they escaped the wrath of the tsunami last Wednesday.
The Tupua men work hard, hammering nails into tree branches which stand tall, with iron sheets lined across the top to make the roof.
Next to the Tupuas is a medium-sized tarpaulin perched on three large wooden posts.
Under it is a woman watching over a steaming pot as two children stand nearby, looking at it in anticipation.
All around them are other villagers, also afraid to return to their village, housed under makeshift tents with pieces of wood piled up to make the floor.
They all refuse to return to live in the pile of ruins which was once their village.
"A lot of families have lost everything," Mrs Tupailangi says.
One of the workmen - Mrs Tupailangi's brother Faleulu Tupua - says he will never go back down to the village where he was raised because of what he saw the tsunami could do.
"Thirty people died from our village. From one village, that is too many deaths. I never want to see a tsunami again. I never want to go through this again."
How you can help
Pacific Cooperation Foundation
Deposits can be made at at any Westpac branch. All the money raised will go to the Samoan Government
Red Cross
- Make a secure online donation at redcross.org.nz
- Send cheques to the Samoan Red Cross Fund, PO Box 12140, Thorndon, Wellington 6144
- Call 0900 31 100 to make an automatic $20 donation
- Make a donation at any NZ Red Cross office
ANZ bank - Make a donation at any ANZ bank branch, or donate directly to the ANZ appeal account: 01 1839 0143546 00
Oxfam
- Make a secure online donation at Oxfam.org.nz
- Phone 0800 400 666 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 600 20
Caritas
- Make a secure online donation at Caritas.org.nz
- Phone 0800 22 10 22 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 4 11 11
TEAR fund
- Make a secure online donation at tearfund.co.nz
- Phone 0800 800 777 to specify Samoa the Philippines or Indonesia. You can also donate at CD and DVD stores.
Mercury Energy - Donate online at www.mercury.co.nz by texting the word Samoa, the amount you wish to pledge and your Mercury account number to 515 or by calling 0800 10 18 10.
Habitat for Humanity - Habitat for Humanity is asking for help with the clean-up. Contact the organisation at www.habitat.org.nz
